For someone who was long best known in New York for frequent tabloid antics, Donald Trump seems to have a pretty good relationship with New York’s Catholic archbishop, Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
Dolan gave the convocation at Trump’s second inauguration. He hosted Trump at the Al Smith Dinner last year when Kamala Harris did not appear. While Dolan was frequently critical of Barack Obama during his presidency, especially in a 2012 controversy over whether contraception would be covered by the Affordable Care Act, he and Trump have mostly been on the same page. Dolan even said in a December interview that Trump “takes his religious faith seriously.”
But Dolan was very critical this week of Vice President J.D. Vance, following comments from Vance in a recent interview that questioned the Catholic Church’s motives, when it comes to immigration policy.
Vance, a relatively recent convert to Catholicism, appeared for his first interview as vice president last week with CBS’s Margaret Brennan, where he was asked about the move by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to object to some of the Trump Administration’s early executive orders on immigration. Brennan specifically asked Vance, “you personally support the idea of conducting a raid or enforcement action in a church service, at a school?”
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
Vance’s answer involved implying a money-related motive for the Church’s actions:
Vice President JD Vance says he’s “heartbroken” by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemning some of President Trump’s executive orders relating to immigration.
“The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that… pic.twitter.com/VN2mXNbmsa
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) January 26, 2025
“Let me just address this particular issue, Margaret. Because as a practicing Catholic, I was actually heartbroken by that statement. And I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?”
Dolan, the cardinal, objected to what Vance said.
Earlier today on Conversation With @CardinalDolan on @SIRIUSXM pic.twitter.com/GiZoVqQORb
— The Catholic Channel (@CatholicChannel) January 28, 2025
“You want to come look at our audits, which are scrupulously done? You think we MAKE money caring for the immigrants?,” Dolan said in response. “We’re not in a money-making business… And for him to imply that the motive in caring for the immigrant—which by the way the government asks us to do.”
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
