In an interview with EWTN News, Ambassador Brian Burch pushed back on widespread criticism of U.S. immigration enforcement and rejected the suggestion that the Vatican is anti-American.<\/p>\n
ROME \u2014 United States Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch has defended President Donald Trump\u2019s deportation policies amid criticism from Pope Leo XIV and the U.S. bishops.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe larger question of immigration is something that will constantly be a source of debate and conversation between the U.S. and the Holy See,\u201d the ambassador acknowledged in an interview with EWTN News\u2019 Colm Flynn and Hannah Brockhaus.<\/p>\n
He added that Trump \u201chad the courage to do something very difficult. I think people sometimes underestimate the difficulty of unwinding the chaos that had occurred\u201d in the U.S. immigration system.<\/p>\n
Leo has called for migrants to be treated with dignity, using the word \u201cinhuman\u201d to refer to the immigration crackdown in the U.S. He has also supported the U.S. Catholic bishops in their statements opposing the indiscriminate mass deportation of immigrants who lack legal status.<\/p>\n
Burch pushed back on widespread criticism in the U.S. of immigration enforcement, especially following violence in Minneapolis, including the killings of two U.S. citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing that frustrated me is there was a lot of accusations that somehow this was borne out of some xenophobia or hate when I know this administration, this president, is deeply committed to protecting the safety and security of our country,\u201d Burch said.<\/p>\n
From advocacy to diplomacy<\/p>\n
Burch, 50, presented his credentials to Pope Leo on Sept. 13, 2025, beginning his term as ambassador after he was nominated by Trump in December 2024.<\/p>\n
From 2005 to early 2025, Burch was president of CatholicVote Civic Action and the CatholicVote Education Fund, organizations dedicated to promoting Catholic engagement in political life.<\/p>\n
During his time with CatholicVote, he became a nationally recognized figure in Catholic political advocacy.<\/p>\n
When asked about being a so-called MAGA Catholic, he said: \u201cI\u2019m proud of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud to have worked to elect this president. I\u2019m proud to have represented [Trump during] what I think was a very important inflection point in our country,\u201d Burch said.<\/p>\n
Asked if it was difficult to transition from political advocacy to diplomacy, Burch said while being a diplomat does mean restraining his long-held love for debate, it \u201cdoesn\u2019t mean you check your beliefs or your principles at the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI always liked political debates. I was probably more of a troublemaker sometimes, getting involved in debates and clubs at school \u2026 Now I\u2019m a provocateur of a different sense, hopefully in a better way. But I always enjoy the public debate around politics and issues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Noting that the Holy See and the U.S. have had full diplomatic relations since 1984, he added that he was stepping \u201cinto a position that was bigger than me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of my job here is to build consensus, to help the Holy See to understand the policies and aims of the administration, and to build bridges between the two sovereign states,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged the controversy surrounding some of Trump\u2019s foreign policy efforts as well as his immigration policies. But he denied that his job as ambassador is \u201cexplaining Trump\u201d to the Vatican. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s about a set of ideas. It\u2019s about a set of priorities that this president is advancing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s explaining why what we\u2019re doing is necessary, is right, is good for the United States, is good for the world. I don\u2019t see a conflict there. I think people want to make it into a personality fight between the pope and the president. That\u2019s not what it\u2019s about,\u201d Burch added.<\/p>\n
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch speaks with EWTN News at his residence in Rome on Feb. 26, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez\/EWTN News<\/p>\n
The U.S. and the Catholic Church<\/p>\n
Burch rejected the notion that the Vatican is anti-American. \u201cThe Holy See and United States share this common bond about truth and justice and human dignity and fundamental understanding of freedom. These are perennial things that transcend politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the ambassador noted that there are \u201careas of prudential judgment where we may agree on the end but disagree on the means.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the case in a lot of different political questions. But I think on the fundamental questions, certainly the protection of life, the importance of the family, the right of parents to direct the education of their children, the need to advance peace and justice around the world, there\u2019s no disagreement between the Vatican and the United States,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Burch dismissed the suggestion that the pope\u2019s decision not to visit the U.S. this year reflects any friction between the U.S. and the Vatican. The ambassador said he believes one factor was Leo\u2019s desire to avoid the appearance of \u201cattempting to influence the midterm elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ambassador said he thinks the pontiff will travel to his birth country the following year \u2014 \u201cit will undoubtedly be one of the biggest trips he makes as the pope.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it is not just the U.S. that wants to collaborate with the Holy See; the Vatican also seeks out information from the U.S.<\/p>\n
\u201cDepending on the conflict, often the United States is at the forefront of trying to drive towards a solution,\u201d he said, explaining that when he meets with representatives of the Holy See, they want to know the latest news about negotiations and terms in countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, and Ukraine.<\/p>\n
According to Burch, the Holy See wants to know \u201chow can we help, how can the Holy Father help, can he speak into this, or what role can the Church play in that local conflict?\u201d<\/p>\n
How the local Church can help in conflict zones or areas of persecution is \u201ca frequent topic of conversation,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
\u201cVenezuela is 70% Catholic; the bishops in Cuba are one of the most important voices for the people there. Certainly, the Church in Europe [is important], the Church in the Holy Land sits right between two populations that have been in conflict for centuries,\u201d he elaborated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe U.S. really does see the Church as this global actor that has such an important role to play and how we go about trying to solve some of the problems,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Defending a civilizational idea<\/p>\n
According to the ambassador, the current U.S. administration\u2019s project is about asking \u201cWhat are we fighting for? What are we trying to defend?\u201d as Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined in his Feb. 14 speech at the Munich Security Conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think [Rubio] made very clear that we\u2019re defending a heritage, a Western civilizational idea that has informed both the United States and Europe,\u201d Burch said, adding that the Church has guided this idea through its intellectual tradition, history, and moral teaching. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are defending a way of life, a way of life informed by faith and formed by deep principles of human dignity and freedom, without which the world would be chaos,\u201d he opined.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Holy See and the U.S. are both aligned \u2014 in a larger historical sense \u2014 to both defend and recover this heritage that I think has made the world what it is today.\u201d<\/p>\n
This article was originally published by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n