Top U.S. Cardinals Warn America's 'Moral Foundation' Is at Risk After Vatican Meeting

Senior leaders of the U.S. Catholic Church issued an unusually direct statement warning that the moral foundation guiding the nation’s policies is under threat. The declaration from three serving cardinal-archbishops followed recent talks at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV and was posted prominently on the Vatican homepage.

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Who Spoke—and What They Said

The statement was released by Cardinal Blase Cupich (Chicago), Cardinal Robert McElroy (Washington, D.C.) and Cardinal Joseph Tobin (Newark). While they did not name any public figure, their language and references left little doubt about the targets of their critique.

Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, has avoided using Trump's name but his statements and those of the three leaders leave little room for doubt about his opposition to the president's policies. / TIZIANA FABI / AFP via Getty Images

"In 2026, the United States has entered into the most profound and searing debate about the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world since the end of the Cold War... The events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace. Our country’s moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination."

Key Concerns

The cardinals highlighted several interlocking concerns:

Pope Leo expressed grave concern over the United States' military action in Venezuela. / X

• They argued military action should be "a last resort in extreme situations, not a normal instrument of national policy."
• They called attention to reductions in international humanitarian aid and warned those cuts undermine human dignity.
• The statement referenced international flashpoints—Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland—to illustrate broader ethical questions about U.S. policy.

Context and Political Tensions

The statement arrived amid wider friction between Church leadership and members of the Trump administration. The article cites several controversial developments: an alleged message from the president to the Norwegian prime minister demanding "Complete and Total Control of Greenland," a reported claim by the president that "my morality" rather than law or the Constitution constrains his use of power, and the claimed dismantling of USAID—an action attributed in the piece to Elon Musk’s leadership of a newly created Department of Government Efficiency and said to have been approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Cardinal Robert McElroy (right) is Archbishop of Washington D.C. and concelebrated mass in Rome with Pope Leo last year. / Maria Grazia Picciarella/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Gett

The cardinals also signaled plans for greater public engagement ahead of the midterm elections: "Pope Leo has given us the prism through which to raise it to a much higher level. We will preach, teach, and advocate in the coming months to make that higher level possible."

Broader Church Dynamics

The piece notes ongoing tensions involving Catholic political figures, including Vice President JD Vance, whose public conflicts with popes and criticism from outlets such as the National Catholic Reporter were referenced. Several U.S. dioceses have reportedly clashed with administration immigration policy and at times provided parishioners protections intended to reduce the risk of detention by ICE.

What This Means

The public rebuke from three senior prelates is unusual in modern U.S. church-state relations and signals that at least some Catholic leaders intend to play a more visible role in moral and civic debates. The cardinals framed their intervention as an effort to re-center questions of human dignity, aid, and peace in national policy discussions.

Note: The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment, according to the original report.