Just five days before Christmas, President-elect Donald Trump He announced that he would appoint outspoken conservative and Catholic Vote leader Brian Burch to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
The Vatican, also known as the Holy See, is the center of the Roman Catholic Church, which it leads Pope Francis. There are approximately 52 million Catholics in the United States
Burch, a father of nine children, is an outspoken supporter of the president-elect. His organization, CatholicVote, a conservative activist group, issued its first presidential endorsement for Trump this year.
Catholic voters across the country turned dramatically toward Trump in the 2024 election, contributing to his surprise election night victory.
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CatholicVote President Brian Burch says President-elect Trump won last week thanks to Catholic voters. (Fox News Digital | GettyPool)
In his post announcing the nomination, Trump credited Burch with his significant gains among Catholic voters in November, saying Burch “represented me well during the presidential election.” The last electionsAfter he received more Catholic votes than any presidential candidate in history!
“I am pleased to announce that Brian Burch will be the next United States Ambassador to the Holy See,” Trump said. “Brian is a devout Catholic, father of nine, and president of CatholicVote. He has received numerous awards and demonstrated exceptional leadership, helping to build one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the country.”
“Brian loves his church and the United States, and he would make us all proud,” the president-elect said. “Congratulations to Brian, his wife Sarah, and their amazing family!”
The families of the Trump administration's picks have one thing in common
(Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Burch responded to his nomination by posting on X: “Glory be to God.”
“Words cannot express my gratitude to everyone who helped me achieve this nomination,” Burch said. “I am deeply honored and humbled to be nominated by President Trump to serve as United States Ambassador to… Holy See“.
He thanked his family and the CatholicVote team and gave special credit to his recently deceased father who, he said, “taught me to love the church and the blessings and responsibilities of being an American citizen.”
“The Catholic Church is the largest and most important religious institution in the world, and its relationship with the United States is of vital importance,” Burch said. “I am committed to working with leaders within the Vatican and the new administration to advance the dignity of all people and the common good. I look forward to the confirmation process and the opportunity to continue serving my country and the Church.”
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March organized by CatholicVote. (Catholic vote)
Catholic Vote also responded to the announcement, saying the group is “extremely proud” of Burch and that his nomination “is a testament to the importance of Catholics to the United States.”
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“Under Brian’s leadership, CatholicVote has launched impactful campaigns exposing violence against Catholic churches and exposing government abuses targeting Catholics and pro-lifers,” the group said. “In addition to his professional work, Brian is a devoted husband and father of nine children. His commitment to family life embodies his passion for building a culture that preserves the dignity of every human being and supports the central role of families in society.”
the The new Trump administration There will be several Catholics in senior positions, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Border Czar Tom Homan.
The position of ambassador to the Holy See requires Senate confirmation.
