Pope Francis extends prayers, ‘cordial greetings’ to Trump ahead of inaugural ceremony

Pope Francis shared his prayers and extended “cordial greetings” to President-elect Trump ahead of his inaugural ceremony Monday morning.

“I ask God to guide your efforts in promoting peace and reconciliation among peoples,” Pope Francis said in a message addressed to the president-elect.

“On the occasion of your inauguration as the forty-seventh President of the United States of America, I offer cordial greetings and the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you wisdom, strength, and protection in the exercise of your high duties,” his message read.

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“Inspired by your nation’s ideals of being a land of opportunity and welcome for all, it is my hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion.”

Pope Francis continued on to “ask God to guide your efforts in promoting peace and reconciliation among peoples” amid “numerous challenges” and “the scourge of war.”

“With these sentiments,” Pope Francis continued, “I invoke upon you, your family, and the beloved American people an abundance of divine blessings.”

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Pope Francis criticized Trump’s deportation policy just one day prior, saying Sunday on an evening television program, “If true, this will be a disgrace.”

“This won’t do. This is not the way to solve things. That’s not how things are resolved,” the pope said of Trump’s planned deportations.

Trump’s incoming administration is said to be eyeing immigration arrests of illegal immigrants across the country as soon as day one, as top officials say they are ready to “take the handcuffs off” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The pope also recently cited “fake news” as the root cause of Trump’s assassination attempts last year. 

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During the pontiff’s annual “state of the world” address earlier this month, Francis pointed to “fake news” as the root of division and distrust in society that ultimately led to two attempts on Trump’s life in 2024. 

“This phenomenon generates false images of reality, a climate of suspicion that foments hate, undermines people’s sense of security, and compromises civil coexistence and the stability of entire nations. Tragic examples of this are the attacks on the chairman of the government of the Slovak Republic and the president-elect of the United States of America,” he said.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw, Gabriel Hays and the Associated Press contributed to this report.