Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the United States Conference of Catholic bishops, meets with President Donald Trump on Jan. 12, 2026. | Credit: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Jan 12, 2026 / 18:07 pm (CNA).
Archbishop Paul Coakley and President Donald Trump met on Jan. 12 to discuss areas of “mutual concern,” which likely included topics related to immigration enforcement and Venezuela’s sovereignty.
The archbishop of Oklahoma City, Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025, visited with Trump at the White House on Monday.
Chieko Noguchi, USCCB spokesperson, said in a statement after the meeting: “Archbishop Coakley had the opportunity for introductory meetings with President Trump, Vice President [JD] Vance, and other administration officials, in which they discussed areas of mutual concern, as well as areas for further dialogue. Archbishop Coakley is grateful for the engagement and looks forward to ongoing discussions.”
The meeting was closed to the press, but White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told EWTN reporter Owen Jensen she would ask the president about providing a readout of the meeting.
Pope Leo XIV has said immigrants must be treated with dignity and encouraged all people in the United States to heed the U.S. bishops’ message on immigration.
Coakley, appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21, 2025, predicted immigration would be a discussion topic with Trump and said: “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”
After U.S. military action to capture Venezuela’s president, the pope on Jan. 4 called for full respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and for the human and civil rights of its people.
Earlier in the day on Jan. 12, Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican.
