Pope criticizes Harris and Trump, tells US Catholics to choose 'lesser evil'

Pope Francis on Friday criticized both former U.S. President Donald Trump over his plan to deport millions of immigrants and Vice President Kamala Harris over her stance supporting abortion rights.

Asked about the U.S. presidential election on his flight back to Rome from Singapore, the pope said not welcoming migrants is a "grave" sin, and likened having an abortion to an "assassination".

He said U.S. Catholics would have to "choose the lesser evil" when they vote in November, without elaborating.

Francis was speaking in a press conference with journalists after a demanding 12-day tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania. Although the pope did not use Trump and Harris' names, he referred specifically to their policies and their genders. Despite criticizing both candidates, he said Catholics should vote.

"Not voting is ugly," the 87-year-old pontiff said. "It is not good. You must vote."

"You must choose the lesser evil," he said. "Who is the lesser evil? That lady, or that gentleman? I don't know. Everyone, in conscience, (has to) think and do this."

American Catholics, numbering roughly 52 million nationwide, are often seen as crucial swing voters. In some battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, more than 20% of adults are Catholic.

Francis, leader of about 1.4 billion Catholics globally, is usually careful about weighing in on national political elections. But he frequently criticizes abortion, which is forbidden by Catholic teaching, in sharp terms. He has also previously criticized Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric. During the 2016 election, he said Trump was "not Christian" in his views.

On Friday, Francis said both candidates' policies are "against life".

"Whether it is the one who is chasing away migrants,