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Pope spokesperson clarifies Trump comment
[THEHILL] A spokesperson for Pope Francis clarified the pontiff's criticism of Donald Trump's plan to build a border wall, saying that the remark wasn't "a personal attack."On Thursday, the pope told news hounds on his plane that building walls "is not Christian." But the pontiff's spokesperson said it's a comment he's made before, adding that the pope wants to avoid weighing in on American politics. "The Pope said what we already know, if we followed his teaching and positions: we shouldn't build walls, but bridges," the spokesperson said in a statement, according to CNBC. "It's his generic view, coherent with the nature of solidarity from the gospel." "This wasn't, in any way, a personal attack or an indication on who to vote for," the spokesperson continued. "The Pope has clearly said he didn't want to get involved in the electoral campaign in the US and also said that he said what he said on the basis of what he was told [about Trump], hence giving him the benefit of the doubt." During a Thursday rally in South Carolina, Trump needled the pontiff for his criticism and said that he publicly questioned his faith. "For a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful. I'm proud to be a Christian and as president, I will not allow Christianity to be consistently attacked and weakened, unlike what is happening now with our current president," he said. 
But at a CNN town hall later that night, the real estate mogul said he respects Pope Francis, adding that "he has a lot of personality." "I think he said something much softer than was originally reported by the media," he said. Donald Trump tones down fight with Pope Francis [CNN] Nobody wants to tangle with the Pope -- not even Donald Trump. One of the more unlikely battles to jolt a presidential campaign emerged Thursday when Pope Francis said Trump is "not Christian" if he wants to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump, true to form, shot back that the pontiff's comments were "disgraceful." But by Thursday evening, the GOP front-runner was doing something unusual: de-escalating a fight. "I don't like fighting with the Pope," Trump said at a GOP town hall in South Carolina hosted by CNN. "I like his personality; I like what he represents." Trump called the Pope a "wonderful guy" and blamed the day's drama on the press. "I don't think this is a fight," Trump said. "I think he said something much softer than was originally reported by the media." Trump added he would meet with the Pope "anytime he wants." On Friday, a Vatican front man said that, although the news hound at the papal presser asked Francis specifically about Trump, the Pope's answer should be interpreted more generally. "It didn't intend to be in any way neither a personal attack nor an indication in how to vote," the Rev. Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio. Posted by: Fred 2016-02-20 |
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