Pope Francis is not expected to veto President Donald Trump's choice of a high-profile critic of his papacy as the next U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, according to two senior Vatican officials, despite misgivings about his stance on many issues.

Vásquez was most recently selected by Francis to oversee the Diocese of Tyler, also in Texas, after he dismissed its former bishop, Joseph Strickland, who had openly accused the pope of being a heretic and called into question the validity of his leadership.

Pope Francis on Monday offered well-wishes to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in a traditional message sent ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony in Washington.

Francis previously said that Trump cannot be a Christian if he plans to build a wall to keep migrants from Mexico out.

The Holy Father expressed hope that under Trump’s leadership, the American people would “prosper and always strive to build a more just society.”

Pope Francis said Donald Trump’s plans to impose mass deportations of immigrants would be a “disgrace,” as he weighed in on the incoming U.S. president’s pledges nearly a decade after calling

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis said Donald Trump’s plans to impose mass deportations of immigrants would be a “disgrace,” as he weighed in on the incoming U.S. president’s pledges nearly a decade after calling him “not Christian” for wanting to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border.

The comments provided the latest indication of a potential renewal of friction between the Vatican and the next Trump White House.

The President met a clergywoman’s call for ‘mercy’ with a brash condemnation of her ‘boring’ and ‘uninspiring’ sermon.

Donald Trump's inaugural included several lowlights: no presidential hand on Bibles, apparent Nazi salutes and a churlish reaction to an Episcopalian bishop's in-your-face homily.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's words reflect the values held by a majority of American Christians — a fact that Trump’s divisive rhetoric seeks to obscure.