Pope Francis became part of the presidential race when he suggested that Republican candidate Donald Trump “is not Christian” because of his immigration promises.
When asked by a reporter Thursday aboard the papal airliner during a flight back to Rome after Francis’ six-day visit to Mexico, “Can a good Catholic vote for this man?” about Trump, Francis responded: “Thank God he said I was a politician, because Aristotle defined the human person as ‘animal politicus.’ So at least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn — well, maybe, I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people.”
He added: “And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.”
Even before Francis’ comments, Trump had taken issue with the pope, calling him a “political person” who was acting in the best interests of the Mexican government.
“I don’t think he understands the danger of the open border that we have with Mexico. I think Mexico got him to do it because they want to keep the border just the way it is. They’re making a fortune, and we’re losing,” Trump had said in an interview with Fox Business Network.
Trump responded immediately to Francis’ comments about him during a rally in South Carolina.
“I can promise you that the pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been president because this would not have happened. ISIS would have been eradicated unlike what is happening now with our all talk, no action politicians,” the billionaire businessman said, adding, “No leader, especially a religious leader, should have the right to question another man’s religion or faith. They are using the pope as a pawn and they should be ashamed of themselves for doing so, especially when so many lives are involved and when illegal immigration is so rampant.”
Trump identifies as Presbyterian.
