Pope Francis sends prayers, ‘heartfelt greetings’ to Trump ahead of inauguration ceremony
Pope Francis shared his prayers and sent “heartfelt greetings” to the newly elected president Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration ceremony on Monday morning.
“I ask God to guide your efforts in promoting peace and reconciliation between nations,” Pope Francis said in a message to the newly elected president.
“On the occasion of your inauguration as the forty-seventh president United States of AmericaI warmly greet you and assure you of my prayers that the Almighty God will grant you wisdom, strength and protection in the performance of your high duties,” his message reads.
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“Inspired by your nation’s ideals of being a land of opportunity and welcome for all, I hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no place for hatred, discrimination or exclusion.”
Pope Francis went on to “ask God to guide your efforts to promote peace and reconciliation among nations” amid “numerous challenges” and the “scourge of war.”
“With these sentiments,” Pope Francis continued, “I invoke upon you, your family, and the beloved American people an abundance of divine blessings.”
Pope Francis criticized Trump’s deportation policy just a day earlier, saying on Sunday evening television: “If it is true, this will be a shame.”
“This is not going to work. This is not how things are resolved. This is not how things are resolved,” said Pope Fr Trump’s planned deportations.
Pope Francis criticized Trump’s deportation policy just a day earlier, saying on Sunday evening television: ‘If true, this will be a shame.’ (Reuters/Ciro De Luca/File Photo)
Trump’s new administration allegedly looking at immigration arrests illegal immigrants across the country on day one, while top officials say they are ready to “take off the handcuffs” of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Papa also recently cited “fake news” as the main cause of the attempted assassination of Trump last year.
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During the pope’s annual “state of the world” address earlier this month, Francis pointed to “fake news” as the root of division and mistrust in society that ultimately led to two assassinations of Trump in 2024.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“This phenomenon creates false images of reality, a climate of suspicion that incites hatred, undermines people’s sense of security and threatens civil coexistence and the stability of entire nations. Tragic examples of this are the attacks on the president of the Slovak government and the president-elect of the United States of America,” he said.
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Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw, Gabriel Hays and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
