Originally published at National Catholic Register
ANALYSIS: The two world leaders have clashed on migration but could find common ground on a push for a negotiated peace in Ukraine.
Former President Donald Trump’s election to a second term in office means, among many other things, the resumption of his often-tense relationship with Pope Francis.
Dealings between the U.S. and the Holy See are of particular interest to Catholics, of course, but given the papacy’s role as the world’s most prominent religious authority and a widely recognized advocate for peace and social justice, the relationship between Washington and Rome is also of interest to the entire international community.
Much of the tension between Pope Francis and Trump is likely to focus again on migration, over which they have clashed publicly in the past. Trump vowed in his latest campaign to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, a policy that the Pope recently described as a grave sin “against life.”
Yet the Vatican and the White House could also find common ground during a second Trump administration, particularly on an issue that has emerged since Trump last held office: Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Pope Francis and Trump were at odds on migration even before the latter assumed the
