Many of the nation's politicians on both sides of the aisle cheered Pope Francis' historic congressional address, even if some likely don't agree on the popular pontiff's stance on climate change, immigration, capitalism, and other key issues.
"Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility," the pope told the
Republican-dominated legislature, calling on the United States to reject hostility to immigrants and treat them humanely.
The issue has been a hot-button topic among many Republicans, and one, GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, has climbed to the top of the national polls based on his promise to deport some 11 million undocumented immigrants and to build a massive wall between the United States and Mexico, who he accuses of sending rapists, drug dealers, and more over the border.
Trump didn't comment immediately following the pope's landmark address, but earlier in the morning,
in an interview with CNN, he challenged Francis' call for action on immigration and climate change. He said he stands behind his statements on the need for immigration reform and to deport immigrants, and that he does not believe that there is a problem with climate change, as weather changes constantly.
But while Trump hasn't yet commented on the address, other key political figures and presidential candidates did:
Ted Cruz: Jeb Bush: Dr. Ben Carson: Speaker John Boehner: And on tearing up:
Rep. Adam Kinzinger: Sen. Bernie Sanders: Hillary Clinton:
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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