Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy as the new Archbishop of Washington, D.C., replacing Cardinal Wilton Gregory. McElroy, known for his progressive views on immigration and LGBTQ rights, steps into the role before Donald Trump's inauguration. This appointment signifies a strategic Vatican response to the divided U.S. Catholic landscape, especially given Trump's position on immigration. Concurrently, Trump has nominated Brian Burch, a conservative activist, as ambassador to the Vatican, intensifying expected tensions between the Trump administration and Pope Francis’ progressive agenda.