Cardinal Robert McElroy has supported migrants and said the church should be more inclusive to women and LGBT people.

Francis’ liberal pick for Washington, D.C. archbishop is at odds with Trump’s choice for ambassador to the Vatican, Brian Burch, a vocal Francis critic.

Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy as Archbishop of Washington. This choice carries undeniable political weight, reflecting the profound opposition between the Californian cleric and the incoming Republican President Donald Trump.

ROME — Pope Francis on Monday named Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego as the archbishop of Washington, tapping one of his most progressively like-minded allies to head the Catholic Church in the U.S. capital at the start of Donald Trump ’s second administration.

The appointment of Robert W. McElroy is a signal of the pope’s priorities, two weeks before Donald J. Trump’s term begins.

During Trump's first administration, Cardinal McElroy sharply criticised his plan to launch a mass deportation campaign targeting millions of immigrants living in the United States.

On Dec. 20, Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Brian Burch as the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Burch, the president of CatholicVote.org, has been an outspoken defender of Trump and vigorously promoted his reelection in 2020 and 2024.

Cardinal Walter McElroy of San Diego is named by Pope Francis to replace the retiring Cardinal Wilton Gregory leading the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Pope Francis’ decision to appoint a liberal cardinal to the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. was reportedly done in response to the person President-elect Donald Trump selected as Vatican ambassador. The Pope on Monday announced his appointment of Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego,

In the 2024 election, US Catholics voted in large numbers for Donald Trump. It’s far from inevitable that Catholics find their home on the Right — the church has long promoted radically egalitarian ideas about wealth redistribution and empowering workers.

Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy's remarks are at odds with the incoming Trump administration's mass deportation policy.