Several world leaders including Donald Trump offered condolences when the Vatican confirmed the death of Pope Francis on April 22. However, Trump’s announcement of his plans to attend the Pope’s funeral sparked debate on social media due to his casual tone.
Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” In another post, he added, “Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”
People were quick to call him out for his choice of words. An angry user asked, “Who the f**k ‘looks forward’ to attending a funeral?” while another schooled Trump by tweeting, “‘Look forward’ is not the proper phrase!”
His tweet also reminded people of his history of inappropriate mourning conduct. His behavior at memorials and funerals has often drawn criticism. From his appearance at the funerals of people who loathed him to speaking ill about the dead, Trump’s strange conduct often leaves people in shock.
The pattern of his weird behavior dates back to the late 1980s when he attended the memorial of Roy Cohn, his former mentor despite past disavowals following Cohn’s HIV/AIDS diagnosis. It apparently showed his need to seek attention during such events.
Trump wasn’t invited to the memorial of John McCain. The Statesman’s widow Cindy McCain explained that she didn’t invite Trump because “it was important to me that we kept it respectful and calm and not politicize it.”
Trump was so hurt that he kept making contentious remarks about John McCain for months. He went on to claim that McCain had turned over the Steele dossier for “very evil purposes.” He went on to take credit for giving the Arizona Senator “the kind of funeral that he wanted,” while complaining to factory workers that he “didn’t get a thank-you”. He also described the deceased as “not my kind of guy,” as reported by Vanity Fair.
Earlier this year, on January 9, 2025, Trump attended Jimmy Carter’s funeral after winning big in the 2024 presidential elections. He crossed paths with former Presidents Bush and Obama and maneuvered through social awkwardness.
Remember the time when Trump called Obama “the worst president maybe in the history of our country”? Well, now when a video of them chatting at the service surfaced online, Trump said that people would think that they “like each other”. He then said, “We probably do.”
Trump and Obama seen at President Jimmy Carter’s funeral talking and having a laugh. pic.twitter.com/pwUgF3XvwX
— Storyful (@Storyful) January 9, 2025
Later, Trump said that Carter “died a happy man” because Biden had replaced him as the “worst” commander-in-chief.
Trump’s tendency to politicize mourning rather than adhere to traditional decorum has continued to raise eyebrows. We now have to see how Trump plays his antics at Pope’s funeral especially as Trump and Francis had polarized views and some sharp disagreements.
It remains to be seen whether Trump will laud Pope’s legacy or end up babbling something controversial owing to some old frustrations.
