Just five days before Christmas, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he will appoint outspoken conservative and chairman of CatholicVote Brian Burch as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
The Vatican, also known as the ‘Holy See’, is the center of the Roman Catholic Church, which is led by Pope Francis. There are approximately 52 million Catholics in the US
Burch, a father of nine children, is an outspoken supporter of the newly elected president. His organization, CatholicVote, a conservative activist group, issued its first presidential endorsement in favor of Trump this year.
Catholic voters across the country turned to Trump in droves in the 2024 election, contributing to his surprise victory on election night.
CATHOLIC VOTERS WERE CRITICAL OF DONALD TRUMP’S BLOWOUT VICTORY: ‘HARRIS SNOP US’
CatholicVote President Brian Burch says President-elect Trump won last week thanks to Catholic voters. (Fox News Digital | Getty Pool)
In his post announcing the nomination, Trump credited Burch for his significant gains among Catholic voters in November, saying Burch “represented me well during the election.” last electionwith more Catholic votes than any presidential candidate in history!”
“I am pleased to announce that Brian Burch will serve as the next Ambassador of the United States to the Holy See,” Trump said. “Brian is a devout Catholic, father of nine children 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 – he will make us all proud,” the president-elect said. “Congratulations to Brian, his wife Sara and their wonderful family!”
THE FAMILIES OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PICKS HAVE 1 THING IN COMMON
(Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Burch responded to his nomination by posting on X: “To God be the glory.”
“Words cannot express my gratitude to everyone who helped me achieve this nomination,” said Burch. “I am deeply honored and humbled to have been nominated by President Trump to serve as Ambassador of the United States the Holy See.”
He thanked his family, 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 U.S. citizenship.”
“The Catholic Church is the largest and most important religious institution in the world, and its relationship with the United States is critical,” Burch said. “I am committed to working with leaders within the Vatican and the new government to promote 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.”
NOTRE DAME HOLDS FIRST MASS SINCE 2019 FIRE, DRAWING THOUSANDS OF CROWD
A meeting organized by CatholicVote. (Catholic voice)
CatholicVote also responded to the announcement, saying the group is “immensely proud” of Burch and that his appointment is “a testament to the importance of Catholics to the United States.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Under Brian’s leadership, CatholicVote has launched influential campaigns that expose violence against Catholic churches and expose government overreach against Catholics and pro-life advocates,” the group said. “In addition to his professional work, Brian is a devoted husband and father of nine children. His dedication to family life inspires his passion for building a culture that upholds the dignity of every person and supports the central role of families in society .”
The new Trump administration will have several Catholics in high-ranking positions, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and border czar Tom Homan.
The position of ambassador to the Holy See requires confirmation by the Senate.
