Pope Leo faces cancer diagnosis as White House loses media access ruling

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican announced. The 71-year-old pontiff is recovering from an operation the Vatican described as “successful, on schedule and as planned.”

Doctors at Gemelli Hospital in Rome removed a growth during a procedure lasting about 90 minutes, and analysis afterward confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, according to NPR. The Vatican said Leo had returned to his room. His appointments have been canceled until October 20, The Guardian reported.

NPR reported that friends who had been in contact with Leo said he remained responsive and in good spirits. Dr. Vin Gupta of the University of Washington told NPR that the decision to operate suggested doctors had caught the cancer early, though that assessment depends on whether it has spread. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a practicing Catholic who has met the pope, said he and his wife were “united in prayers” for him, according to The Guardian. Leo is the first U.S.-born pope and leads the Roman Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion members.

In Washington, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue allowing journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico into the White House while their lawsuit over access proceeds. Judge Timothy J. Kelly found that the journalists were likely to prevail on claims that their exclusion violated due process and free-speech protections.

The plaintiffs “are likely to succeed not only on their due process claim, but also on their two first amendment claims,” Kelly wrote in Tuesday’s ruling, according to The Guardian. NPR reported that the administration’s decision affected more than 70 journalists. The order remains in place as the case moves toward trial.

Trump has also removed Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece following allegations that she sought money from a donor in exchange for access to administration officials. Guilfoyle, a longtime Trump ally and former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., denies wrongdoing.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Guilfoyle sought $100,000 from donor Eric Deters to settle a credit card bill in exchange for official influence, according to The Guardian. Guilfoyle disputes the authenticity of the messages cited in the allegation and said she would “vigorously defend my name, my reputation and my integrity.” NPR reported that Trump called for her resignation, citing unfavorable media coverage. Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told NPR that her departure did not amount to accountability and called for an investigation.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NPR that the Trump administration had warned it could cut intelligence-sharing unless Ukraine stopped long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. Zelenskyy said intelligence was crucial to defending against ballistic missiles. He also said he would observe a halt to strikes on energy sites if Russia did the same, but that Russian strikes had continued.