Trump nominates CatholicVote president, vocal critic of pope as ambassador to the Vatican

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated the leader of a right-wing Catholic advocacy group as United States Ambassador to the Holy See, despite his vocal criticism of Pope Francis.

Trump selected Brian Burch, head of the group CatholicVote, praising him as a "devout Catholic" who "loves his Church" in a post on Truth Social.

"He has received numerous awards, and demonstrated exceptional leadership, helping build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country," Trump wrote. "He represented me well during the last Election, having garnered more Catholic votes than any Presidential Candidate in History! Brian loves his Church and the United States - He will make us all proud."

Burch has also gained attention for his sharp criticism of the pope on social media.

One area the pair have conflicted on is Pope Francis' allowance for Catholic priests to bless same-sex marriages. Burch claimed the decision created "confusion" within the church, according to the National Catholic Reporter.

Burch said he was "honored" by the nomination, and said that he was "committed to working with leaders inside the Vatican" and the next administration.

"The role of Ambassador is to represent the government of the United States in its relations with the Holy See," Burch wrote on X. "The Catholic Church is the largest and most important religious institution in the world, and its relationship to the United States is of vital importance."

"I am committed to working with leaders inside the Vatican and the new Administration to promote the dignity of all people and the common good," he continued in a separate post. "I look forward to the confirmation process and the opportunity to continue to serve my country and the Church. To God be the glory."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.