Also present for the meeting with Pope Francis were U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs H.R. McMaster, and Louis Bono, American Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to the Holy See until Calista Gingrich us officially approved as ambassador.
Pope Francis gave Trump a copy of his environmental encyclical Laudato Si, as well as copies of his 2015 Apostolic Exhortation on the family "Amoris Laetitia" and his 2013 exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium."
In addition to the customary gift of these three documents, Francis also gave President Trump a copy of his message for the 2017 World Day of Peace, saying: "I signed it personally for you." Trump responded that he would be reading them.
The Pope also gifted the U.S. president with a medallion he said symbolized peace and unity, which, after the translator explained in English, he added in Spanish: "Have it so that you become an instrument of peace." In response, Trump said that "we can use peace."
On his part, President Trump gifted Pope Francis a set of books by Martin Luther King, Jr., saying: "I think you'll enjoy them, I hope you do."
Members of the delegation each received a medal and a rosary from the pontiff. When greeting Francis, First Lady Melania told him that she would afterward be visiting the hospital. Joking, the Pope asked her if they had given her potica, a traditional Slovenian dessert, to eat, to which she responded, "yes, potica," as they both laughed.
Departing with a handshake, Trump said to Francis: "Thank you, thank you, I won't forget what you said."
(Story continues below)
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
After meeting with Pope Francis, Trump met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, as is customary for heads of state.
Pope Francis went immediately to begin the Wednesday general audience with thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square.
After the meeting, First Lady Melania paid a visit to the Vatican-owned Pediatric hospital Bambino Gesu, also known as the "Pope's hospital."
Bambino Gesu sits next to the Pontifical North American College on top of Rome's Gianicolo hill, and is among the most important pediatric hospitals in the world. Founded in 1869 by the Duchess Arabella Salviati, the hospital was donated to Pius XI in 1924, with the aim of giving it a more stable future.
At the same time, Trump's daughter and high-profile adviser, Ivanka, made her way to the Roman neighborhood of Trastevere to meet with the Community of Sant'Egidio to discuss efforts to oppose human trafficking.
The Sant'Egidio Community is often praised by Pope Francis for their work with the poor and refugees, in particular.