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On September 14, Pope Francis issued a sharp critique of both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, condemning their policies on migration and abortion. Speaking during his flight back to Rome from a demanding tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, the Pope described these policies as "anti-life" and urged American Catholics to vote for the "lesser evil" in the upcoming November election.
On September 14, Pope Francis issued a sharp critique of both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, condemning their policies on migration and abortion. Speaking during his flight back to Rome from a demanding tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, the Pope described these policies as “anti-life” and urged American Catholics to vote for the “lesser evil” in the upcoming November election.
In his remarks, Pope Francis specifically targeted Trump’s proposed immigration policies and Harris’s support for abortion rights. He characterized Trump’s plan to deport migrants and Harris’s stance on abortion as fundamentally opposed to the sanctity of life. “Both are against life,” he stated, equating the denial of migration rights with a “grave” sin and abortion with “assassination.” The Pope emphasized that not welcoming migrants is a serious moral failure and that abortion is tantamount to murder.
The Pope, who is known for his strong advocacy on migration issues, did not name Trump and Harris directly but referenced their policies and gender. He noted the importance of making a moral choice at the polls, leaving it to voters to determine who represents the “lesser evil.” With approximately 52 million American Catholics often playing a decisive role in elections, his remarks are expected to influence their voting decisions.
Trump has vowed to pursue aggressive deportation policies and has not ruled out establishing detention camps for undocumented immigrants. In contrast, Harris has pledged to support legislation that would restore abortion protections following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The candidates have clashed on these issues during their public debates, reflecting the deep divisions in their policy approaches.
Pope Francis, who leads about 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, has previously criticized Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, notably during the 2016 presidential race. His condemnation of Harris’s position on abortion aligns with his longstanding opposition to abortion, as forbidden by Catholic teaching.
In a separate but related development, Pope Francis also praised China as a “promise and hope” for the Catholic Church. The Vatican is currently negotiating to renew a 2018 agreement on bishop nominations, seeking to improve relations that have been strained since the Communist Party’s rise to power. Francis expressed admiration for China’s rich culture and its capacity for dialogue, highlighting the ongoing efforts to bridge gaps with the Chinese government.
