Pope Francis has advised American Catholics to weigh the “lesser evil” when choosing between the major US presidential candidates in the upcoming election. During a news conference concluding his Southeast Asian tour, the Pope criticised both candidates’ stances, referring to them as “against life” without naming them explicitly.
He condemned the rejection of migrants as a “serious” sin and compared Kamala Harris’s pro-abortion position to “assassination.” The Pope argued that both expelling migrants and supporting abortion contradict the sanctity of life.
Although Pope Francis clarified that he would not be participating in the US election, he urged Americans to vote, calling the act of not voting “ugly.” He encouraged voters to use their consciences to determine which candidate represents the lesser evil.
This isn’t the first time Pope Francis has commented on US politics. In 2016, he criticised Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, labelling the expulsion of migrants as “mean.” Trump has continued his strict stance on immigration, promising mass deportations if re-elected. Meanwhile, Harris has maintained her support for expanding abortion rights following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The Pope’s remarks come shortly after Trump and Harris debated, with another debate planned before the election—although Trump has announced he may skip the next one.
