Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy, a vocal defender of migrants and critic of Donald Trump’s first administration, as the next archbishop of Washington, DC.

The promotion comes on Jan. 6, two weeks before Donald Trump is inaugurated. Robert McElroy, 70, has criticized Trump's deportation plans.

Pope Francis on Monday appointed a new cardinal with a liberal track record to head the archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Pope Francis’s appointment of Cardinal Robert McElroy as the highly visible prelate of the church in Washington is already being interpreted as a shot across the bow of the Trump administration, given the new archbishop’s outspoken views on immigrants’ rights.

Francis’ liberal pick for Washington, D.C. archbishop is at odds with Trump’s choice for ambassador to the Vatican, Brian Burch, a vocal Francis critic.

During Trump's first administration, Cardinal McElroy sharply criticised his plan to launch a mass deportation campaign targeting millions of immigrants living in the United States.

Pope Francis named Cardinal Robert McElroy as the eighth Archbishop of Washington, DC, succeeding Cardinal Wilton Gregory.

Cardinal Robert McElroy, who has expressed criticism of Trump’s policies, said he prayed the new administration would make America a better place.

Cardinal Robert McElroy, 70, has been the bishop of San Diego since 2015. He sharply criticized Trump's plan during his first administration to launch a mass deportation campaign targeting millions of immigrants living in the United States.

In a latest development it has been known that Pope Francis pretty recently appointed a major sharp critic of US President- elect Donald Trump to become the next archbishop of Washington DC. This development actually came just somedays prior of the inauguration of US President- elect Donald Trump.