Australian Cardinal George Pell praised President Donald Trump Wednesday, highlighting his “splendid” Supreme Court appointments and participation in the March for Life.
Speaking at a virtual launch of his book Prison Journal, which chronicles the 404 days he spent in an Australian prison before having his conviction overturned, Cardinal Pell said President Trump is a “controversial fellow,” which isn’t all bad.
As president, he has been “a bit of a barbarian, but in some important ways, he is ‘our’ barbarian,” Pell stated.
In particular, Trump has made a “positive contribution” to Christianity through his three Supreme Court picks, Pell observed.
“I’m grateful for that and I’m not one running around trying to damn his memory,” the cardinal said. “In a democracy we Christians have got a right, and indeed an obligation, to struggle to maintain Christian values in life, because the moment they start to disappear, notions like truth and reason and free speech” also go away.
“On the whole I think Trump has made a positive contribution to the Christian cause, but in other areas, I’m not so sure he’s been sufficiently respectful of the political process,” Pell added.
“It’s important that people believe they’re getting a fair go,” Pell said. “And if that’s not the case, it needs to be established very, very clearly because it’s no small thing to weaken trust in great public institutions.”
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