Pope Francis offers prayers and ‘warm greetings’ to Trump ahead of inauguration ceremony

Pope Francis shared his prayers and gave a “cordial greeting” to the president-elect donald trump before its opening ceremony on Monday morning.

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

“On the occasion of your investiture as forty-seventh president of the United States of AmericaI offer my warm regards and the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you wisdom, strength and protection in the discharge 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, I 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 for hatred, discrimination or exclusion”.

Pope Francis went on to “ask God to guide your efforts to promote 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 a day earlier, saying on Sunday evening television: “If it is true, it will be a shame.”

“This will not do. This is not the way to solve things. This is not how things are solved,” the Pope said. Trump’s planned deportations.

The incoming Trump administration is said to be looking at immigration detentions of illegal immigrants across the country as early 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 singled out “fake news” as the root of division and mistrust in society that ultimately led to two attacks on the Trump’s life in 2024.

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

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