Trump’s bizarre comment on Pope Francis’ funeral sparks uproar

Donald Trump has always spoken his mind plainly.

As the world gets ready to say goodbye to Pope Francis this Saturday, the former U.S. president has caused another stir.

Trump made a statement about attending the Pope's funeral that quickly created outrage on social media. It wasn't what he said but how he expressed it that grabbed attention.

Like other world leaders, Donald Trump shared his sympathy after Pope Francis died on April 21. The U.S. president posted a short message on his Truth Social platform: "Rest in peace Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!"

Trump also posted on Truth Social that U.S. flags should fly at half-staff as a sign of respect for "the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis."

Their Complicated Relationship

Donald Trump and Pope Francis often disagreed, though their relationship started quite well before turning cold.

In 2013, before Trump became president, he praised the newly chosen pope. "The new Pope is a humble man, very much like me, which probably explains why I like him so much!" Trump wrote in December that year. This comment showed his typical style—part compliment, part self-praise.

The good feelings didn't continue for long.

Pope Francis meets United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Apostolic Palace on May 24, 2017 in Vatican City, Vatican.

As both men gained more public attention, their differences grew larger. What began with praise soon became one of the more odd and tense relationships between a U.S. president and the Catholic Church leader.

Trump and Pope Francis clashed over key issues, mainly immigration and social justice.

In 2016, the Pope criticized Trump's plans for a border wall by saying: "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian." Trump quickly responded, calling it "disgraceful" for a religious figure to question someone's faith.

Their Meeting

The two met in person during Trump's 2017 visit to the Vatican. After this meeting, Trump said, "He is something. We had a fantastic meeting."

Yet their disagreements continued. During Trump's first term and after he returned to office in 2025, they remained at odds. Pope Francis spoke against the renewed push for mass deportations, calling them a "disgrace" and warning that any policy "built on force rather than human dignity begins badly and will end badly."

Presidential Condolences and Public Response

While Trump kept his goodbye brief, others expressed deeper thoughts. Vice President JD Vance, a committed Catholic who saw the Pope just before his death, posted a sincere tribute on X: "I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him."

Vance mentioned their last encounter, noting the Pontiff appeared sick, but said he would always remember the Pope for a particular message: "I'll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul."

Controversial Funeral Announcement

Despite their different views, Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, plan to attend the Pope's funeral—a visit that also serves as the president's first trip abroad during his second term.

But the controversy wasn't about Trump attending the funeral—it was the way he announced it that raised eyebrows. He wrote: "Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!"

Social media users quickly criticized the U.S. president, calling him insensitive and disconnected. Comments on X (formerly Twitter) ranged from jokes to harsh criticism. One person joked, "He thinks he's going to Coachella," while another directly asked, "Who looks forward to a funeral?"

"We look forward to being there" Bold choice of words for a funeral. Most people mourn the Pope, not pencil it in like it's a wine tasting in Vatican City," another X user commented.

The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis' funeral will happen on Saturday, April 26 at 10 AM local time in St. Peter's Square.

After the public ceremony, his body will move to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome's Esquilino area—the same place where Francis previously stated he wanted to be buried.

What do you think of the president's choice of words? Was it inappropriate, or is it more important that he actually attends and shows his respect? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!