'We can use peace': Trump and Pope Francis meet




"We can use peace," the president responded.

The visit began with a handshake after each man arrived, Trump in a lengthy motorcade, Francis in a Ford Focus. The president was heard thanking the pope and saying it was "a great honor" to be there. They posed for photographs and then sat down at the papal desk, the pope unsmiling, as their private meeting began.

It ended a half hour later when Francis rang the bell in his private study. The pontiff was then introduced to members of Trump's delegation, including his wife Melania, his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as aides Hope Hicks and Dan Scavino.

Smiling for the staff, Francis had a light moment with the first lady, asking via translator, "What do you give him to eat, potica?" referring to a favorite papal dessert from her native Slovenia.

The first lady laughed and said "Yes." She and Ivanka covered their heads in a sign of papal respect, a gesture they did not partake in Saudi Arabia.

As is tradition, the pope and president exchanged gifts. Trump presented the pontiff with a custom-bound, first-edition set of Martin Luther King Jr.'s works, an engraved stone from the King memorial in Washington and a bronze sculpture of a flowering lotus titled "Rising Above."

"I think you'll enjoy them. I hope you do," Trump said.

The pope presented Trump with the medal, a message of peace and three bound papal documents that to some degree define his papacy and priorities, including the family and the environment. The pope told Trump he signed the message "personally for you." Trump said he would read the books.


Afterward, as he met with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Trump said of the pope: "He is something."

"We had a fantastic meeting," the president said. "It was an honor to be with the pope."

Hours later, Trump tweeted the meeting was the "honor of a lifetime." A statement released by the Vatican later said "satisfaction was expressed" at their "joint commitment in favor of life" and that there was hoped-for collaboration on health care and assistance to immigrants and protection of Christian communities in the Middle East.




The meeting, which concluded Trump's tour of the world's largest monotheistic religions, comes after the president and pope collided head-on early last year, when Francis was sharply critical of Trump's campaign pledge to build an impenetrable wall on the Mexican border and his declaration that the United States should turn away Muslim immigrants and refugees.


Trump then called Francis "disgraceful" for doubting his faith.





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This story has been corrected to reflect the pope asked about potica, not pizza.