The appointment of Cardinal Robert McElroy to be the new archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is the clearest sign that Pope Francis intends to needle the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

It is hard to think of another American Catholic bishop more liberal than McElroy, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump dating back to his first term in office. The cardinal has also been harshly critical of the more conservative elements of the Catholic Church in the United States and has derided Trump for his desire to curtail illegal immigration.