A few months before Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the first American pope, his name's social media claims criticized Vice President JD Vance, sharing an article that said the vice president's interpretation of Christian teachings was “mistaken.”
The article, published in National Catholic Reporter, is a rebuttal of Mr. Vance's interpretation of the Catholic doctrine that he used to defend the Trump administration's deportation policy.
The post on X, shared in February, was one of the articles criticizing the Trump administration's position on immigration.
In April, the account, under the name of Prevost, shared comments from a Catholic writer who asked President Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele whether he saw the “pain” caused by his immigration policies.
“Is your consciousness undisturbed?” wrote writer Rocco Palmo. “How do you keep quiet?”
In July 2015, the account republished an article by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, New York, which described Mr. Trump's “anti-immigrant rhetoric” as “problematic.” Three years later, the account shared an article by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Chicago, saying the government's policy of separating immigrant children from parents “nothing far-reaching Christian, American or moral defense.”
Mr. Trump’s criticism largely echoed Pope Francis’s position, who also expressed his differences on the government’s deportation policy. Although the Cardinal seemed relatively active on X, the account largely shunned the expression of its own views and instead republished comments on articles from church leaders and Catholic news media. It is not clear whether he operates the account himself or is run by a staff member.
Sometimes, the account wades into other controversial areas of American politics. In 2020, it shared a statement signed by seven American bishops saying they were killed George Floyd was “sad, disgusting and angry” which they described as “wake up the phone.”
So far, Mr. Trump does not seem to have resentment against the pope in search of previous criticism. The president said in a post on X that he was looking forward to meeting the new pope.
Mr. Vance, a Catholic convert, met Pope Francis shortly before his death and he also sent his good wishes on Thursday afternoon.
“Congratulations to the first Pope Lion XIV election in the United States!” he wrote on social media. “I'm sure thousands of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful leadership of the church. May God bless him!”
Kate Conger Contribution report.
