Trump meets with Pope Francis after months of icy tweets

After meeting with Pope Francis, Trump met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, as is customary for heads of state.

It’s easy to see that while Pope Francis remained cordial throughout the visit, the closeness we have seen between the Pontiff and the USA president in years’ past will certainly be more strained under our current leader. In addition, he gave Trump copies of his documents on The Joy of the Gospel, on the family and Laudato Si’ on the environment.

Reporters in the room thought initially that the First Lady had replied “Pizza!”. Trump fired back, calling the pope’s remarks “disgraceful”.

In exchange, the pope presented Trump with a medallion that depicted an olive branch as well as some of his latest writings on climate change – the very same topic the pair clashed about a year ago.

Francis and Trump are unlikely to criticize each other so bluntly when they meet – at least in public, said Andrea Tornielli, a veteran Vatican watcher with Italy’s La Stampa newspaper.

“Many of those who possess more resources and economic or political power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms, simply making efforts to reduce some of the negative impacts of climate change”, the encyclical reads.

Papal audiences usually last for about 20-30 minutes of private talks, followed by introductions of delegations, a photo and exchange of gifts. Climate change activists projected the words “Planet Earth First” on the massive dome of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Tuesday night and protests are expected after Trump arrives in Brussels for a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation meeting and Sicily for a G-7 gathering. “I hope you do”, Trump said. “It’s their first meeting, and I think they will both try hard to find some common ground”.

Francis had promised earlier this month that he “won’t judge” the former TV personality before hearing him out.

Trump called for building a massive wall along the Mexican border and signed a temporary suspension on the entry of refugees.

In an exchange of gifts after their private meeting, Francis offered the president a medal by a Roman artist of an olive, a symbol of peace.

Trump was also accompanied by his daughter Ivanka, her husband, Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, national security adviser H.R. McMaster, and personal assistant Keith Schiller. Many compared the images to those taken when Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama visited the Vatican in 2014.

Francis had criticized then-candidate Trump in February 2016, after Trump unveiled a key goal of his presidential campaign: walling off the USA border with Mexico.

Trump’s stance on these issues “violates the sanctity of life that people of all faiths and none hold so dear”, said Maya Foa, director of the British judicial rights group Reprieve. “I hope you do”.

US President Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to use his presidency to promote peace around the world after what he depicted as an inspirational meeting with Pope Francis.

The visit to the Vatican was the third stop of Trump’s tour of sites representing three major religions.