Pope Francis Appoints Trump Critic Cardinal McElroy as Washington Archbishop

Jan 6, 2025, 11:21 AM

Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies, as the new archbishop of Washington, D.C. McElroy, who has been the bishop of San Diego since 2015, replaces Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who is retiring. The appointment comes at the start of the second Trump administration. McElroy, an outspoken ally of Pope Francis among U.S. Catholic bishops, has taken progressive positions, including support for a more welcoming stance toward LGBTQ Catholics and advocating for the ordination of women as deacons. He was elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022 and holds doctorates in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and in politics from Stanford University.