Trump Reacts To The Death of Pope Francis: 'May God Bless Him And All Who Loved Him!'

President Donald Trump reacted on Monday to the death of Pope Francis, sending his condolences to him and his followers.

"Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!" Trump said in a post in his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump is not a Catholic, calling himself a nondenominational Christian in 2020. His vice president, JD Vance, is Catholic and was the last world leader to meet the pontiff, doing so on Easter Sunday.

According to a Vatican statement, the private audience lasted only a few minutes, during which the two exchanged Easter greetings.

Vance also reacted to the news and referenced his recent meeting. "My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I'll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul," Vance said, including a link to the mentioned address.

Francis was a vocal critic of a staple policy of the Trump administration. Until his final days, Pope Francis remained unwavering in his defense of migrants' dignity, condemning mass deportations and rhetoric that painted those seeking a better life as criminals.

During Trump's second term, which began in January 2025, the rift deepened. Francis called mass deportations "a disgrace," arguing that "it makes the unfortunate poor, who have nothing, pay the price" for the country's deeper social and economic problems.

In February 2025, Francis sent a pointed letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urging them to stand up for migrants. "Jesus was a migrant who had to flee with his family into Egypt," he reminded them, warning against equating undocumented immigrants with criminals. He also cautioned that immigration policies rooted in force rather than human dignity "will end badly."

Francis also condemned the use of theology to justify anti-immigrant policies, referencing comments made by Vance, who had defended Trump's immigration stance. The Pope insisted that Christianity calls on believers to protect and integrate migrants, not expel them.