Pope signals he doesn’t know who ‘lesser of two evils’ is between Trump and Harris – Washington Examiner
During a recent news conference aboard the papal plane, Pope Francis expressed his concerns regarding both major U.S. presidential candidates, suggesting that neither former President Donald Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris could be considered the “lesser of two evils.” He highlighted the flawed positions of both candidates, particularly in relation to issues of life. The Pope criticized Harris’s support for abortion, stating that performing an abortion is equivalent to killing a human being, as Catholic doctrine teaches that life begins at conception. Comparatively, he also condemned Trump’s immigration policies, equating the expulsion of migrants with an anti-life stance. Although Pope Francis did not directly name the candidates, his remarks underscored a broader moral dilemma, urging voters to reflect on the implications of their choices in the upcoming election.
Pope signals he doesn’t know who ‘lesser of two evils’ is between Trump and Harris
While aboard the papal plane on his way back to Rome, Pope Francis held a news conference to share with Catholic Americans that both major presidential candidates are deeply flawed and that he cannot determine which one would be less harmful.
“One must choose the lesser of two evils,” Francis said. “Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know. Everyone with a conscience should think on this and do it.”
Pope Francis never mentioned the names of either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris, but he was clear in saying that Harris’s stance on abortion and Trump’s immigration policies were both wrong in the eyes of the church.
“Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ Francis said.
In the Catholic faith, church teaching is very clear that human life begins at the moment of conception, thus making abortion a sin.
“Performing an abortion is killing a human being,” Francis said. “Whether you like the word or not, this is killing. You can’t say the church is closed because it does not allow abortion. The church does not allow abortion because it’s killing. It is murder.”
Harris, a longtime supporter of abortion rights, said if elected, she would work with Congress to codify protections for abortion from Roe v. Wade into federal law.
While Trump may have appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which ultimately led to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, he does not uphold the Catholic beliefs about abortion. He has said that he would be voting in favor of Florida’s abortion ballot measure that would expand abortion access past six weeks.
While Trump has still been tougher on abortion than Harris, he’s been consistent about establishing a stronger border and deporting illegal immigrants — a stance that Pope Francis sees as evil.
“To send migrants away, to leave them wherever you want, to leave them … it’s something terrible, there is evil there,” Francis said.
He explained that migration is a right outlined in Scripture, and anyone who denies this is committing a great sin.
Both immigration and abortion are set to play important roles in this election cycle. Fifty-two percent of registered Catholic voters describe themselves as being or leaning Republican, while 44% say they are or lean Democrat, according to Pew Research.
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