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| President Donald Trump jokes about becoming pope after attending Pope Francis' funeral. |
Trump Quips About Becoming Pope, Floats NYC Cardinal as Potential Pick
DECK
During a Vatican visit for Pope Francis' funeral, President Trump lightheartedly names himself as a papal favorite before pointing to a prominent American cardinal.
KEY FACTS
What: President Donald Trump jokes about becoming pope after attending Pope Francis' funeral.
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Where: Remarks made to reporters while en route to Michigan from Washington, D.C.; funeral held at the Vatican.
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When: Comments delivered Tuesday; funeral Mass held Saturday following Easter Monday death.
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Who: Trump names New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan as a possible successor.
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Why It Matters: Though Trump is not Catholic, his remarks highlight growing American interest in Vatican politics.
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Next Steps: Papal conclave set for May; 10 U.S. cardinals to vote in selection.
SITUATION SNAPSHOT
As the black-clad mourners filed solemnly into St. Peter’s Basilica for Pope Francis’ funeral, President Donald Trump stood among world leaders bidding farewell to the late pontiff. Days later, on the tarmac before a flight to Michigan, Trump pivoted from the sacred to the humorous, surprising reporters with a papal jest.
WHAT WE KNOW
President Trump, speaking to reporters on Tuesday before departing for a rally in Macomb County, Michigan, responded to a question about who should lead the Catholic Church following Pope Francis’ death.
"I'd like to be pope," Trump said with a smile. "That'd be my number one choice."
The former president, who is not a member of the Catholic Church, went on to say, "No, I don't know. I don't have a preference. I might say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who is very good. So we'll see what happens," referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were present at the Vatican funeral Mass on Saturday and later met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
While Dolan is not widely considered a top contender, he is one of 10 American cardinals who will cast votes in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope.
WHAT’S NEXT
The papal conclave is scheduled for May, where the College of Cardinals will gather in secrecy to choose the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Though technically any baptized Catholic man can be elected pope, historical precedent dictates the successor will be chosen from within the College itself.
VOICES ON THE GROUND
"I'd like to be pope," — President Donald Trump, responding to a reporter's question about papal succession.
"That'd be my number one choice... we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who is very good. So we'll see what happens," — Trump, referencing Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
CONTEXT
Pope Francis' death at 88 came after years of health struggles, marking the end of a papacy known for global outreach, climate advocacy, and intra-church reforms. As anticipation builds for the next pope, speculation has turned to geopolitical influence, with the United States’ growing Catholic population and active cardinals like Dolan gaining attention.
While non-Catholics like Trump have no influence in the conclave, his remarks reflect a broader American fascination with the papacy and underscore his ongoing use of headline-grabbing comments to stay in the political spotlight during his third term in office.
REPORTER INSIGHT
Reporting on the ground in Rome, it was striking to see the convergence of solemnity and spectacle. Trump’s remarks, both irreverent and oddly timed, contrast sharply with the deep reverence many attendees displayed during the funeral. Yet, in true Trump fashion, even a sacred event became a platform for punchlines—and political positioning.
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