Pope’s Spox: ‘Not Christian’ Remark Was Not ‘Personal Attack’ On Trump

A spokesman for Pope Francis clarified Friday that the pontiff’s remark that a person who thinks only about walls “is not Christian” was’t “a personal attack” on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said on Vatican radio that the Pope was speaking generally about building bridges instead of walls, a lesson he has taught in relation to many issues, including migration in Europe.

“It’s his generic view, coherent with the nature of solidarity from the Gospel,” Lombardi said, as first quoted by NBC Nightly News. “This wasn’t, in any way, a personal attack or an indication who to vote for. “

He continued: “The Pope has clearly said he didn’t want to get involved in the electoral campaign in the U.S. and also said that he what he said on the basis of what he was told [about Trump], hence giving him the benefit of the doubt.”

The response follows an established pattern of messaging from the Catholic Church, where the Vatican tries to paint remarks from Pope Francis deemed politically controversial in broader strokes.

Asked Thursday about Trump’s immigration policy, which emphasizes building a massive wall at the U.S. border with Mexico, Pope Francis responded that “a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not a Christian.”

Although Francis also said he would not advise Catholics who to vote for, the remark was widely interpreted as a direct critique of Trump’s policies.