Pope Leo XIV has inserted himself into America’s political debate, taking a thinly veiled shot at President Donald Trump while defending pro-abortion Democrat Senator Dick Durbin.
NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez raised the issue during a press briefing, asking White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the Pope’s comment.
The Pope had suggested that those who oppose abortion but support what he called the “inhumane treatment” of immigrants in the United States are not truly “pro-life.”
Reporter:
“I wanted to ask one thing that has become a bit of a divisive subject in the U.S. right now, with Cardinal Blase Cupich giving an award to Senator Durbin. Some people of faith are having a hard time understanding this because he is pro—or rather, he’s for—legalized abortion. How would you help people of faith right now decipher that, feel about that, and how do you feel about that?”Pope Leo XIV:
“I’m not terribly familiar with the particular case. I think that it’s very important to look at the overall work that a senator has done during, if I’m not mistaken, 40 years of service in the United States Senate. I understand the difficulty and the tensions, but I think, as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to the teaching of the Church.Someone who says, “I’m against abortion,” but says, “I’m in favor of the death penalty,” is not really pro-life. So someone who says, “I’m against abortion,” but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.
These are very complex issues. I don’t know if anyone has all the truth on them, but I would ask, first and foremost, that there be greater respect for one another and that we search together—both as human beings, in that case as citizens of the state of Illinois, as well as Catholics—to say we need to really look closely at all of these ethical issues and to find the way forward as Church.
Church teaching on each one of those issues is very clear.”
Durbin was slated to receive a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Archdiocese of Chicago for his work on immigration issues.
NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez pressed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on the remarks during Wednesday’s briefing, asking for her response in light of her outspoken Catholic faith.
Gutierrez: “Senator Dick Durbin — he was set to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Catholic Church, and since declined accepting it because there has been some controversy.
Pope Leo commented on this, and he said that ‘someone who says I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.’ You’ve been very open about your Catholic faith. How do you respond to that?
Karoline Leavitt: “I would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration.
There was, however, significant, inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the previous administration as they were being trafficked and raped and beaten, in many cases killed over our United States southern border.
You also look at the inhumane treatment at the hands of some of these illegal immigrants that took place under the previous administration, as well.
Laken Riley comes to mind, a beautiful American citizen who was killed at the hands of an illegal immigrant.
So this administration is trying to enforce our nation’s laws in the most humane way possible. And we’re upholding the law, and we’re doing that on the behalf — on behalf of the people of our country who live here.”
WATCH:
NBC’s @GabeGutierrez: “Senator Dick Durbin — he was set to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Catholic Church, and since declined accepting it because there has been some controversy. Pope Leo commented on this, and he said that ‘someone who says I’m against abortion,… pic.twitter.com/cUkGaRqUS6
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 1, 2025
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