Pope Francis has made a striking intervention in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, labeling both major candidates as “against life” and urging Catholic voters to select the “lesser evil” at the polls in November.

In a notable departure from his usual focus, the Pope critiqued the candidates’ positions on key issues. He described the stance on immigration, which seems to reference Donald Trump, as a “grave” sin. In his comments, he equated Kamala Harris’s position on abortion with an “assassination.”

Speaking at a news conference during the final leg of his 12-day tour through Southeast Asia, the Pope did not name Trump or Harris directly but offered a clear critique. “Both are against life,” he asserted. “The one who rejects migrants, and the one who ends lives before birth.”

Though the Pope emphasized that he does not have a vote in the U.S. election, he strongly encouraged American citizens to participate. “Not voting is an ugly thing. It is not good,” he said. “You must choose the lesser evil. Who is the lesser evil? I don’t know. Each person must reflect and decide.”

Pope Francis’s remarks, delivered during a Friday news conference, reflect his ongoing opposition to abortion, which Catholic teaching condemns. “Forcing a child from the mother’s womb is an assassination because there is life there,” he reiterated.

The Pope has previously criticized Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, labeling it as “not Christian” during the 2016 election. On Friday, he reiterated his condemnation of such policies, calling them “ugly” and “mean.”

Trump, who has consistently promised stringent measures against illegal immigration, has pledged to deport millions if re-elected. Meanwhile, Harris has vowed to strengthen national protections for abortion rights following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The Pope’s comments come shortly after Trump and Harris faced off in their first debate. Though a second debate was planned, Trump has announced he will not participate.