President Donald Trump failed to convince Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi that she had a religious duty to support his border wall, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
As Trump's shutdown continued, Pelosi and Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer visited a White House briefing on his border wall.
"Mr. Trump tried creative ways to persuade the Democrats that they should support his wall," The Times reported. "At one point, he said Ms. Pelosi should back it because she was 'a good Catholic' and Vatican City is surrounded by a wall, according to one of the officials familiar with the discussion."
Pope Francis, however, has criticized Trump's immigration policies.
The pontiff said Trump's child separation policy was "contrary to our Catholic values" and "immoral."
In his Christmas message, Pope Francis said, "our differences, then, are not a detriment or a danger; they are a source of richness."
