U.S. President Donald J. Trump expressed his condolences on Monday for the death of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 at the Vatican, through a brief but significant message posted on his social network Truth Social.
“Rest in peace, Pope Francis, God bless him and all who loved him!” wrote Trump, adding no further official comments at this time.
Trump sends condolences for Pope Francis
The statement comes just hours after the official announcement of the death, made by Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, who confirmed that Francis died at 7:35 a.m. (local time) at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican.
The pontiff, who was suffering from bilateral pneumonia, had been recovering after a prolonged hospitalization that ended on March 23.
From diplomatic tensions to mutual respect
Buzzy
The relationship between Trump and Pope Francis was not without tensions during the years when the two coincided on the global stage.
During Trump’s first presidency (2017-2021), the Vatican openly criticized the president’s immigration policies, especially the project to build the border wall with Mexico and initiatives for the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Francis, known for his defense of migrants’ rights and his call to build “bridges and not walls,” went so far as to declare in 2016 that “a person who thinks only of building walls is not a Christian,” a statement that generated immediate response from Trump.
Despite these frictions, both leaders also showed moments of diplomatic courtesy.
In May 2017, the US president paid an official visit to the Vatican, where he was received by the pope.
In subsequent statements, the then president described the meeting as “fantastic” and described Francis as “a great person”, highlighting the institutional respect between the two.
A farewell at Easter: the pope’s last greeting
Pope Francis had been absent from all Holy Week rites due to his convalescence.
However, this Easter Sunday, he made one last moving public appearance to impart the Urbi et Orbi blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
He did so from his wheelchair, and later toured the Vatican square in the popemobile, greeting more than 50,000 faithful.
That moment, which is now considered his last public farewell, was charged with symbolism and was received with emotion by Catholics around the world.
Descansa en paz papa Francisco. Que Dios lo bendiga a él y a todos los que lo amaron
Donald Trump
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