Harris or Trump? Pope Francis does not want to recommend a candidate before the US presidential election in November. Americans should choose “the lesser evil.”
With a view to the presidential election in the USA in November, Pope Francis has recommended choosing the “lesser evil”. On the flight home from Singapore to Rome, the head of the Catholic Church accused both candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris of having an anti-life attitude because of their positions on the treatment of immigrants and abortion respectively. Nevertheless, he advised US citizens to go to the polls. “You have to vote, and you have to choose the lesser evil.”
Francis did not commit to either the former president, who is running for the Republicans, or the vice president, who is running for the Democrats.
“Both are against life”
“Both are against life – both the one who drives out migrants and the one who kills children,” said the Pontiff. Trump has announced that if he returns to the White House he will deport immigrants on a large scale. Harris defends the right to abortion. Francis himself describes abortion as murder.
“Who is the lesser evil?” asked the Pope. “This lady or this gentleman? I don't know.” Anyone with a clear conscience must think about it and then act.
Statement during flight home from Pacific cruise
The Pontiff answered questions from journalists on the plane on his flight home from his longest foreign trip to date. In total, he spent twelve days in Asia and the Pacific region: in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.
The 87-year-old Pope, whose health is increasingly failing, evidently survived the ordeal well. His next trip is scheduled for the end of the month: to Luxembourg and Belgium.
During the question and answer session, Francis left it open whether he would travel to Argentina in the foreseeable future. He has not been back to his homeland since being elected Pope in 2013. However, he dismissed speculation that he would come to Paris in December for the ceremonial reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Francis had to undergo abdominal surgery last year. According to official information, he also suffered from bronchitis for a long time. He now mostly sits in a wheelchair at appointments.
