President Donald Trump and Pope Francis, two leaders with contrasting styles and differing worldviews, met at the Vatican on Wednesday. Trump, midway through a grueling nine-day, maiden international journey, called upon the pontiff in a private, 30-minute meeting laden with religious symbolism and ancient protocol. The president, accompanied by his wife and several aides, arrived at the Vatican just after 8 a.m. local time. The president greeted Francis in Sala del Tronetto, the room of the little throne, on the second floor of Apostolic Palace. Upon completing their meeting, the pope gave the president a medal featuring an olive branch, a symbol of peace, among other gifts. "We can use peace," the president responded. The visit began with a handshake after each man arrived, Trump in a lengthy motorcade, Francis in a Ford Focus. The president was heard thanking the pope and saying it was "a great honor" to be there. They posed for photographs and then sat down at the papal desk, the pope unsmiling, as their private meeting began. It ended a half hour later when Francis rang the bell in his private study. The pontiff was then introduced to members of Trump's delegation, including his wife Melania, his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as aides Hope Hicks and Dan Scavino. Smiling for the staff, Francis had a light moment with the first lady, asking via translator, "What do you give him to eat, potizza?" referring to a favorite papal dessert from her native Slovenia. The first lady laughed and said "Yes." She and Ivanka covered their heads in a sign of papal respect. As is tradition, the pope and president exchanged gifts. Trump presented the pontiff with a custom-bound, first-edition set of Martin Luther King Jr.'s works, an engraved stone from the King memorial in Washington and a bronze sculpture of a flowering lotus titled "Rising Above." "I think you'll enjoy them. I hope you do," Trump said. The pope presented Trump with the medal, a message of peace and three bound papal documents that to some degree define his papacy and priorities, including the family and the environment. The pope told Trump he signed the message "personally for you." Trump said he would read the books. When Trump departed, he told the pope: "Thank you, I won't forget what you said." Later, as he met with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Trump said of the pope: "He is something." "We had a fantastic meeting," the president said. "It was an honor to be with the pope." A statement released by the Vatican later said "satisfaction was expressed" at their "joint commitment in favor of life" and that there was hoped-for collaboration on health care and assistance to immigrants and protection of Christian communities in the Middle East. The meeting, which concluded Trump's tour of the world's largest monotheistic religions. Trump's visit to the Eternal City follows two stops in the Middle East where he visited the cradles of Islam and Judaism. In Saudi Arabia, he addressed dozens of Arab leaders and urged them to fight extremists at home and isolate Iran, which he depicted as menace to the region. — AP
