US bishops criticise executive orders signed by Trump
Thomas Edwards• January 23, 2025
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has criticised various executive orders signed by President Trump.
Speaking for the USCCB as a whole, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio stated: “It is our hope that the leadership of our country will reconsider those actions which disregard not only the human dignity of a few, but of us all.”
On his first day back in office, President Trump signed 26 executive orders, which included rescinding 78 orders from the previous administration.
The far-reaching scope of the orders covered issues such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America; changing the name of Denali back to Mount McKinley; giving a lifeline to TikTok in the US; and withdrawing from the World Health Organisation (WHO), of which the US is the largest funder.
However, it was provisions relating to the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and environmental regulations, that Archbishop Broglio described as “deeply troubling” and likely to have “negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us”.
Whilst the Archbishop did not reference specific executive orders, it can be inferred which actions he was addressing and the associated Catholic opposition.
President Trump has signed an executive order lifting the Biden Administration’s moratorium on the death penalty and expanding its application. Whilst historically the Church has made public statements supporting the death penalty—Pope Pius XII notably endorsed the state’s right to administer it—recent pontiffs have stood against it. In 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was updated to state: “The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”
The executive orders also mark a significant change in direction regarding the environment. Plans to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, remove regulations promoting the extraction of oil, natural gas, and coal, and declare a national energy emergency, stand in contrast to the increasing emphasis the USCCB has placed on protecting the environment.
Perhaps the area where the bishops stand most opposed is the approach taken towards immigrants. With Latino immigrants making up the vast majority of undocumented individuals in the country, and 52 per cent identifying as Catholic, it is likely the USCCB feels a duty to protect parts of its congregations.
The reduction of the annual cap on refugees allowed into the U.S., the end of birthright citizenship for certain children born in the country to undocumented immigrants, and the revocation of the ‘Sensitive Locations’ policy—previously allowing undocumented migrants to seek refuge in churches—directly challenge the USCCB.
The bishops have previously emphasised the “moral obligation to treat the stranger as we would treat Christ himself” and have called on Catholics across the nation to strive for “communion and solidarity with diverse newcomers”.
However, Archbishop Broglio acknowledged that some aspects of the executive orders could be viewed positively and commended President Trump for “recognising the truth about each human person as male or female”.
The Archbishop also clarified that the USCCB remains politically neutral. He emphasised: “The Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference” and that regardless of who holds political power, “the Church’s teachings remain unchanged.”