Vatican: not personal attack

A Vatican spokesperson tells Vatican Radio that Pope Francis’ suggestion that Trump was ‘not Christian’ because of his views on immigration was not a personal attack on the candidate, and that the comments were simply an affirmation of Francis’ longstanding belief that migrants should be helped and welcomed rather than shut off behind walls.

This wasn’t in any way a personal attack, nor an indication of who to vote for. The Pope has clearly said he didn’t want to get involved in the electoral campaign in the US, and also said that he said what he said on the basis of what he was told [about Trump], hence giving him the benefit of the doubt. The Pope said what we already know, if we followed his teaching and positions: We shouldn’t build walls, but bridges.’ He has always said that, continuously. He also said that in relation to migration in Europe many times. So this is not a specific issue, limited to this particular case. It’s his generic view, coherent with the nature of solidarity from the Gospel.