The Vatican unleashed a blistering attack on the Trump administration Monday, condemning its decision to freeze the U.S. Agency for International Development funding as a “reckless” move that could spell disaster for millions of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Leading the charge was Cardinal Michael Czerny, Pope Francis’s point man on development aid, who delivered an impassioned plea for the U.S. to remember its Christian values.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. USAID, which controls a staggering $40 billion in aid money — roughly 40% of global humanitarian assistance — has ground to a virtual halt. While a federal judge recently stepped in to block staff layoffs temporarily, the agency’s worldwide programs remain frozen, leaving countless lives hanging in the balance.

Catholic Relief Services, one of USAID’s biggest partners, is already feeling the squeeze. But it’s not just Catholic organizations taking the hit. Caritas, the Vatican’s charitable powerhouse, warns that this funding freeze could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe, pushing hundreds of millions into what they called “dehumanizing poverty.”

The timing of this clash is particularly striking, as it comes alongside another contentious issue: immigration. With more than 8,000 people detained since Trump’s January inauguration – some even held at Guantanamo Bay – the Vatican finds itself fighting on two fronts. Czerny, himself from a refugee family, didn’t mince words, calling the immigration crackdown “terrible” and “terrorizing.”

While acknowledging that the Trump administration has the right to review foreign aid, Czerny argued that dismantling USAID overnight breaks vital commitments. He pointedly noted that the entire USAID budget amounts to less than 1% of U.S. GDP – a fraction of the biblical tithe of 10%.

The administration’s claim that it’s targeting “woke” programs drew a measured response from the cardinal: “If the government thinks that its programs have been distorted by ideology, well, then they should reform the programs,” he said. “Many people would say that shutting down is not the best way to reform them.”

Read more: Vatican’s Caritas outraged at ’reckless’ USAID cuts, says millions will die, others left in poverty

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