US Catholic cardinals urge Trump administration to embrace a moral compass in foreign policy

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 2:27 PM EST, January 19, 2026


ROME (AP) — Three U.S. Catholic cardinals urged the Trump administration on Monday to use a moral compass in pursuing its foreign policy, saying U.S. military action in Venezuela, threats of acquiring Greenland and cuts in foreign aid risk bringing vast suffering instead of promoting peace.

In a joint statement, Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago, Robert McElroy of Washington and Joseph Tobin of Newark, N.J., warned that without a moral vision, the current debate over Washington’s foreign policy was mired in “polarization, partisanship, and narrow economic and social interests.”

“Most of the United States and the world are adrift morally in terms of foreign policy,” McElroy told The Associated Press. “I still believe the United States has a tremendous impact upon the world.”

The statement was unusual and marked the second time in as many months that members of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy have asserted their voice against a Trump administration many believe isn’t upholding the basic tenets of human dignity. In November, the entire U.S. conference of Catholic bishops condemned the administration’s mass deportation of migrants and “vilification” of them in the public discourse.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/vatican-us-bishops-foreign-policy-e6e2fb03d75bf529153b257d00fbecc1

[tonekat]

1. Those redbirds may as well talk to the wall. N/T

[TomSlick]

6. The voice of three crying in the wilderness.

[dutch777]

2. And so that going to be coming from the pulpit on Sunday, every Sunday or are they done. Churches....

...while not the influence they were a generation + ago, have a moral platform higher than anything the Trumpsters have. They pushed civil rights and equal rights and got a lot done. I don't see them as a magic bullet but the churches and celebrities speaking truth to power has weight and visibility that has value in the work to contain Trump. I do realize the Evangelicals may never get on board en mass but anything helps.

[catrose]

3. He doesn't have a moral compass, so they better send him one

Tell him it’s a major award

[Marcuse]

4. Right.

[MLWR]

5. He not only doesn't have a "moral compass;" he doesn't know what one is.

[Martin68]

7. Talk about trying to catch the wind. A fool's errand.