Getty Trump rips Pope Francis for visiting Mexican border

Donald Trump ripped into Pope Francis as a "very political person" for visiting areas close to the United States' border of Mexico during an upcoming trip and for lacking an understanding of the U.S.' immigration situation.

“So I think that the pope is a very political person. I think that he doesn’t understand the problems our country has. I don’t think he understands the danger of the open border that we have with Mexico," Trump said in a telephone interview with Fox Business' "Varney & Company" on Thursday, adding, "Mexico got him to do it because Mexico wants to keep the border just the way it is because they’re making a fortune and we’re losing.”


The Republican presidential candidate was asked his opinion on a variety of world issues, including the pontiff's planned visit to Mexico starting Friday. During that trip, Pope Francis is expected to visit areas ravaged by the country's decade-long war with drug cartels.

“The Mexico of violence, the Mexico of corruption, the Mexico of drugs trafficking, the Mexico of cartels, is not the Mexico our Mother wants,” the pope said of his trip on Feb. 3.

The specific question posed by host Stuart Varney appeared to lead Trump, who has been outspoken on his immigration and border plans, in a certain direction. "Pope Francis is gonna stand at the border with Mexico, standing with the migrants. What do you make of that?" Varney queried.