Pope Francis Calls Harris and Trump "Both Against Life" For Abortion, Immigration Stances
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Pope Francis weighed in on the American presidential election on Friday, saying voters "must choose the lesser of two evils" as he condemned Democrat Kamala Harris' support for abortion and Republican Donald Trump's support for immigration restriction.
Key Quote: "To send migrants away, to leave them wherever you want, to leave them… it’s something terrible, there is evil there," Francis said during a mid-flight press conference. "To send away a child from the womb of the mother is an assassination, because there is life. We must speak about these things clearly."
For Context: Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has often been an outspoken advocate for progress in the Catholic Church. He has allowed the blessing of same-sex couples, urged action on climate change, and criticized immigration alarmism in Europe. However, some of his stances align with conservative values, including opposition to gender transition surgeries; he has enabled priests to forgive abortions but still considers them a "grave sin."
How the Media Covered It: Catholic News Agency (Right bias) wrote misleadingly that Harris "has made abortion without legal restrictions the centerpiece of her presidential campaign." Harris has not declared support for unrestricted abortion. CNN (Lean Left) listed Francis' liberal positions, but also tied a past comment about people who raise pets in place of children to Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance's "childless cat ladies" remark. Forbes (Center) noted that 75% of U.S. Catholics have a favorable view of Pope Francis, "an 8% decrease since 2021."
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Pope Francis: U.S. presidential election a choice between ‘the lesser evil’Pope Francis said that American voters face the choice between “the lesser evil” in the U.S. presidential election during an in-flight press conference Friday on his return from his nearly two-week tour of Southeast Asia.
Speaking aboard the papal plane, a chartered Singapore Airlines flight, on Sept. 13, the pope encouraged Catholics to vote with their conscience.
“In political morality, in general they say that if you don’t vote, it’s not good, it’s bad. You have to vote, and you have to choose the lesser evil,” he said.
From the Left
Pope Francis criticizes Trump and Harris and says voters must choose between ‘lesser of two evils’Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.”
“One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know,” Francis said during a press conference on the papal plane, referring to Harris and Trump. “Everyone with a conscience should think on this and...
From the Center
Pope Francis: Trump And Harris Are ‘Against Life’—Says Voters Should Choose ‘Lesser Of Two Evils’Pope Francis criticized former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday over immigration and abortion policies he characterized as anti-life, according to multiple outlets, urging voters to consider and choose “the lesser of two evils” ahead of the election.
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