Former President Donald Trump continued his appeal to the Polish American community by honoring a Polish Catholic priest who was murdered by the communist Polish security services.
In a post on his Truth Social, later reposted on his X account, Trump commemorated Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, whose death anniversary is on Saturday. He shared pictures of him meeting with Popiełuszko’s nephew.
“This Saturday, October 19, 2024, is the 40th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, a truly great Catholic priest who was the source of tremendous spiritual strength for the Polish Solidarity Movement and, indeed, the entire nation of Poland, in the 1980s,” he wrote. “Yesterday, in Chicago, I was honored to sign a Commemoration about this solemn anniversary and present it to Father Jerzy’s nephew, Marek Popiełuszko, as well as receive from him a book of Father Jerzy’s sermons and other beautiful mementos to remember the life of this extraordinary man of heroic virtue.”
Attached to the post was an extensive biography of Jerzy Popiełuszko, detailing his life, struggle against communism, death, and legacy.
This Saturday, October 19, 2024, is the 40th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, a truly great Catholic priest, who was the source of tremendous spiritual strength for the Polish Solidarity Movement and, indeed, the entire nation of Poland, in the 1980s.… pic.twitter.com/9HIFtRQbka
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2024
Popiełuszko was forced by the communist Polish People’s Republic to serve in the country’s army, where they put him in a unit intended to indoctrinate him away from religion and treat him harshly. After his military service, he became a priest. In 1981, he became a chaplain for the Solidarity trade union, the first independent trade union in communist Poland.
His increasingly political, anti-communist sermons drew him the ire of the communist authorities. His house was bombed in 1982 and he was arrested in 1983, though released after significant pressure.
In 1984, he was kidnapped by the communist Polish secret police, beaten to death, and thrown into a river with weights attached. His body was discovered a week later.
Popiełuszko’s funeral was attended by a quarter of a million Poles. His death brought forth a deluge of outrage, emboldening the Solidarity Union and forcing the government to arrest and try the three agents who murdered him. The arrests failed to quell the growing outrage from the Polish public, resulting in the collapse of communist Poland in 1989.
Popiełuszko was beatified in 2010, the first step on the road to Sainthood in the Catholic faith. He remains a major figure in Poland and the Polish American community.
In his letter commemorating the priest, Trump said he stood as an example of courage for the world, recalling his visit to Warsaw in 2017.
“So too here, in the United States, the story of Father Jerzy and that of Solidarity inspires and uplifts our people and nation,” Trump wrote. “It is a story that reminds Americans that since 1776, our nation has enjoyed a unique friendship with the people of Poland.”
“As Americans, we stand with Poland in defense of freedom, human dignity, the rule of law, sovereign borders, national independence, and Western Civilization,” he added.
The Polish American vote is especially important, as it has emerged as one of the most unexpected bellwethers in the United States.
Since choosing Woodrow Wilson in 1916, the Polish American vote has sided with the eventual presidential election winner in all but three votes, giving them an 89% success rate. The vote is highly volatile, frequently switching by double digits to choose another party in the next election. It frequently hinges on the president’s approach toward Poland proper.
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The Polish American population stands at around 8 million to 10 million, 2.5% to 3.2% of the U.S. population, the largest Slavic community in the U.S. There are almost 2 million Poles across three swing states, including 800,000 in Pennsylvania.
Vice President Kamala Harris called attention to the group during the September presidential debate when she directly called out the 800,000 Polish Pennsylvanians and claimed Russia would invade Poland if Ukraine weren’t properly supported.
