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Pope Leo XIV issued a veiled criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies Saturday, urging Americans to prioritize “compassion” as he extended “heartfelt congratulations” on the United States’ 250th anniversary.
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In a message released by the Vatican and shared on X, the Chicago-born pontiff-formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost-congratulated the U.S. on its “extraordinary national anniversary.”
“This anniversary stands as an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey, but also to reflect upon the responsibilities that the sons and daughters of this country bear to one another, and to the generations who will inherit the nation that is being shaped today,” he wrote.
Without explicitly naming Trump, Leo said that defending human life involves “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning.” The pope has previously criticized the “inhuman treatment” of migrants in the U.S.
In mid-April, Trump said that Leo failed to understand the nature of the Iran situation and believed that Iran “can have a nuclear weapon.” Against this characterization, Leo has in the past spoken about “the profound horrors wrought by nuclear weapons,” which he said “offend our shared humanity and also betray the dignity of creation, whose harmony we are called to safeguard.”
This back-and-forth between Washington and the Vatican has extended beyond its two leaders.
Vice President JD Vance in April urged the pontiff to “be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
That month, The Free Press reported that, during a closed‑door meeting in January, Pentagon officials began lecturing and issuing subtle threats against the Catholic Church representatives. According to the outlet, one participant invoked the Avignon Papacy-a 14th‑century period when the French monarchy used military pressure to bend the papacy to its will-as a warning about American power.
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The Pentagon denied the account, telling Newsweek that the outlet’s characterization of the meeting was “highly exaggerated and distorted,” while describing the meeting as “a respectful and reasonable discussion” between U.S. and Vatican officials.
Despite these clashes, Leo retains significant popularity among American Catholics, though surveys from June suggest his standing has weakened due to declining support among Republican Catholics and less-frequent churchgoers.
Check out all of Newsweek’s coverage of America’s 250th anniversary:
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Pope Urges ‘Compassion’ for Migrants
Leo’s view of the U.S. administration’s approach to immigration enforcement has also been a key point of contention between the Holy See and Washington.
The pope has called for a “deep reflection” on how the U.S. treats migrants, while criticizing the president’s policies as incompatible with the pro-life teachings he espouses.
“Someone who says, ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement of the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States’-I don’t know if that’s pro-life,” Leo told reporters in October.
Saturday’s letter was released during a visit by the pope to Lampedusa, a southern Italian island that has come to symbolize modern migration due to the thousands of asylum seekers and refugees who arrive there each year after crossing from North Africa. As well as praising the “cherished” principle of religious freedom-which he said had “long been central to the American promise”-Leo urged Americans to use the Fourth of July occasion to reflect on the plight of migrants.
“To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person,” he wrote. “May this milestone renew the shared commitment to the promise of freedom, justice, opportunity and democracy. May Americans honor the courage and vision of those who came before them by strengthening their communities, respecting their differences and working together toward a more perfect union.”
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Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Matthew Robinson and Anthony Murray.
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