Apr. 21, 2025, 9:55 am ET
Instant Insight
30-Second Take
- Tensions between President Trump and Pope Francis escalated over immigration and refugee policies.
- Pope Francis has been a vocal critic of President Trump’s border wall and deportation plans.
- The feud reflects broader conflicts between the Catholic Church and the President Trump administration.
+ Dive Deeper
Quick Brief
2-Minute Digest
Essential Context
The feud between President Trump and Pope Francis has its roots in the 2016 presidential election. Initially, Trump praised Pope Francis at the start of his papacy in 2013, but relations soured when Francis criticized Trump’s proposal to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, not the U.S.-Canada border as initially misstated.
Core Players
- President Trump – Current president, known for his strict immigration policies.
- Pope Francis – Leader of the Catholic Church, advocate for migrant rights and social justice.
- Cardinal Robert McElroy – Archbishop of Washington, D.C., and a vocal critic of President Trump’s policies.
- U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference – Criticized President Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugees.
Key Numbers
- 54% – Percentage of Catholic voters who supported President Trump in the 2024 election.
- 50% – Percentage of Catholic voters who supported Biden in the 2020 election.
- 2022 – Year the Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion, a decision influenced by President Trump-appointed justices.
- January 20-21, 2025 – Dates when President Trump signed executive orders cracking down on immigration.
