President Trump’s Meeting With Pope Francis In Rome
President Trump was welcomed to the Vatican by Pope Francis on Wednesday. The visit is a testament to the fact that President Trump is willing to bury the hatchet and work at having a better relationship despite their well-known opposing visions.
President Trump and First Lady Melania’s trip was marked by heightened security in Rome. However, unlike the protest that was received by previous Presidents who visited Rome, there were only a few demonstrators. The sole acknowledgement of protest occurred Tuesday evening in a Roman piazza where a note was displayed by an organizer, an American living in Rome.
Pope Francis and President Trump had quite a few salty exchanges during the election campaign, so this meeting is one that millions have been waiting for. No doubt, some of the topics they spoke about during their private conversations were most likely: international borders (the Wall), illegal immigration, and deportation.
We all may remember the tweet battle between the Pope and the President during the presidential election last year. Their exchange was mostly surrounding President Trump’s plan to build a wall. Since Pope Francis represents a strong voice for defending the integrity of immigrants, President Trump’s visit may very well be one that will soften relations and encourage dialogue for viable solutions.
As in his previous trips, President Trump’s meeting with Pope Francis is a definite sign that he is going head-first into the issues affecting the American people the most—in this case illegal immigration. Pope Francis can be considered as the face of empathy for the acceptance of illegal immigration in the United States.
In his weekly address Friday, President Trump said he looked forward to “the honor” of meeting the Pope and discussing “how Christian teachings can help put the world on a path to justice, freedom and peace.” The mention of such a subject being discussed with the Pope by a sitting President is unheard of. There are so many variables about both President Trump and Pope Francis that makes their meeting a very unpredictable one.
They both can be considered as outsiders who sit in their positions as voices for the voiceless, and unique visionaries who make their own paths to accomplish their agendas. One thing that we the American people can be sure about; regardless of the subject of the private conversation between the Pope Francis and President Trump, we can be assured that the interest of the American people will be in the forefront of President Trump’s agenda.