Pope Leo XIV plans to visit the U.S. "soon," the Chicago-born pontiff said in an interview with NBC News that aired Wednesday evening.The big picture: The first U.S.-born pope told NBC's Tom Llamas during the interview that he loves "so many things" about America as he revealed he was just looking at his calendar for the next couple of years and confirmed people will see him in the U.S. "soon."What he's saying: Leo said during the interview that he loves "what America stands for" and "the sense of freedom, the sense of opportunity, the sense of having invited, for generations, people from around the world to be part of America."The pope noted that his grandparents were immigrants and acknowledged his Creole roots in New Orleans."On my mother's side, we have people who were both slaves and slave owners," Leo said in the interview from Italy's Castel Gandolfo, southeast of Rome."There's a history of, if you will, growing up, the kind of experience that helps me to recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States. I continue to hold the principles that have been a part of being American for so many years that that will continue." Yes, but: Leo said he thinks of himself "more as the pope, who happens to be American," without wanting to belittle what it means to be American. "I was born in the United States, my family is still in the United States. I have great love for America," the pope said. "But I understand my mission."Go deeper: Pope Leo's popularity withstands Trump's papal attacks