Welcome to Power Players, The i Paper’s opinion series in which our writers and experts take an in-depth look at the key figures in American politics as the US reshapes itself and the world.• The ‘swamp creature’ eclipsing JD Vance in the race to succeed Trump• The greatest hope of the Trump resistance is a 34-year-old immigrant• The 28-year-old Trump attack dog ripping up the Washington playbook• The ‘pro-white nationalist’ whose power over Trump grows every day• Trump’s military cheerleader who is learning about war the hard way• The high-flying lawyer who turned tradwife for JD Vance• The right-wing judge who put Trump above the law

Welcome to Power Players, The i Paper’s opinion series in which our writers and experts take an in-depth look at the key figures in American politics as the US reshapes itself and the world.• The ‘swamp creature’ eclipsing JD Vance in the race to succeed Trump• The greatest hope of the Trump resistance is a 34-year-old immigrant• The 28-year-old Trump attack dog ripping up the Washington playbook• The ‘pro-white nationalist’ whose power over Trump grows every day• Trump’s military cheerleader who is learning about war the hard way• The high-flying lawyer who turned tradwife for JD Vance• The right-wing judge who put Trump above the law

The clues were there when Leo spoke to the world from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica more than a year ago.

“Peace be with you,” he said, emerging shortly after smoke from the Sistine Chapel indicated a successor to Pope Francis had been chosen. He said the church must “be close, above all, to those who are suffering”.

In the US, where an estimated 20 per cent of the population identifies as Catholic, there was widespread excitement. While Leo, 70, worked as a missionary in Latin America, he had been born plain Robert Francis Prevost, in Chicago. His father served in the navy and his mother was a school administrator. He had two brothers.

The media quickly filled with........

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