President Donald Trump did not criticize Pope Francis for his response to the sexual abuse scandals recently uncovered in the Catholic Church.

“To me, it’s a very sad story. The Pope is handling it, I guess, the best anyone can handle it,” Trump said in an interview with the Daily Caller. “How is he going to handle it?”

Trump said he was “sad” about the scandal which has stretched back about 70 years.

“I think it’s having a really negative impact on the Catholic Church,” he said. “I think it’s very sad, to me it’s one of the sadder stories ’cause I respect so much the Catholic Church.”

He also expressed surprise about the accusations of abuse against Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who resigned after allegations of sexual abuse of boys was made public.

“I’m surprised at McCarrick,” he said. “Everyone knew him and so incredible to see these things. It’s devastating for the Catholic Church.”