WASHINGTON, DC – [Archons.Org / Photos: John Mindala]
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met privately with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, September 15, 2025. President Trump is the sixth U.S. President to meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the longest-serving Ecumenical Patriarch in the history of the Church.
Also in attendance were U.S. Vice President JD Vance; His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America; His Eminence Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea; His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria; the Very Rev. Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios; and the Spiritual Advisor of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Alexander Karloutsos. In addition, Archon Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Archon Reince Priebus, a member of the President of the United States’ intelligence advisory board, were on hand.
At a press conference following the meeting, His All-Holiness characterized the meeting as “warm, cordial,” and “sincere.” He added that they discussed the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox community in Turkey: “We discussed issues that concern us the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the few Christians that remain in Türkiye, the hardships they face, the difficulties, the persecutions, but also the fact that despite all these we survive and we continue to carry out our mission. President Trump expressed immense interest in the global ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as in the difficulties that the Christians of Turkey are enduring.
The discussion between the Ecumenical Patriarch and the President included the Turkish government’s forcible closure of the Theological School of Halki; both the Ecumenical Patriarch and President Trump expressed hope that “with the dialogue that has begun with the present government there will be a positive result.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also stated that he and President Trump discussed the situation in Ukraine, including Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war. His All-Holiness congratulated President Trump on his efforts to end wars around the world, particularly in Ukraine. His All-Holiness explained: “We also spoke about the tragedy of the Ukrainian people, about the Holodomor, about the oppression they suffered, about the present war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine, about the thousands of victims, about the destruction, about the kidnapped children, about all these tragic events that wound the conscience of humanity.”
His All-Holiness and President Trump also discussed the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, noting the “continuous decrease of Christians in the Middle East” and expressing the “fear that if this continues, one day the holy places will remain without Christians.” They also spoke about the upcoming visit to Constantinople of Pope Leo XIV; the Ecumenical Patriarch explained: “The theological dialogue with Rome is special, but parallel to this theological dialogue we also carry out and promote the dialogue of love.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch offered President Trump condolences for the assassination of his friend, political activist Charlie Kirk, and thanked him for his warm welcome and beautiful gift.
