Republican Presidential Candidate Donald
Trump has heaped praise on Pope Francis, hours after the pontiff questioned his
Christian faith over his vow to build a border wall with Mexico.
The billionaire struck a more
conciliatory tone after earlier calling the Pope's comments
"disgraceful".
The Pope had said Mr. Trump's proposal
to build a wall on the US border with Mexico was not Christian, provoking a
strong response from the businessman.
When asked about his row with the
Pope, he said he wouldn't describe it as a fight, although he later said he
didn't like fighting with him.
"I have a lot of respect for
the Pope. He has a lot of personality and I think he's doing a very good job,
he has a lot of energy."
He said the pontiff was misinformed
when he criticised the proposed wall, because he was not aware of the drugs
coming in and the other security problems that made a strong border a
necessity.
Earlier in the day, Pope Francis said "a person who
thinks only about building walls... and not of building bridges, is not
Christian".
That was roundly condemned by Mr. Trump, who issued a
statement in which he called the comments "disgraceful".
His anti-immigration stance is a central plank in his
campaign - he wants to deport 11 million undocumented migrants and said Muslims
should be temporarily barred from coming to the US.
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