Donald Trump would "like to be pope”

US President jokingly suggested he would be his own top choice to lead the Catholic Church

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US President Donald Trump jokingly suggested he would be his own top choice to lead the Catholic Church, following the death of Pope Francis earlier this month.

“I’d like to be pope,” Trump said with a smile when asked by a reporter about the papal succession.

Trump, who has been married three times, added, “I have no preference,” before mentioning a US cleric.

“We have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good, so we’ll see what happens.”

The almost-2,000-year-old institution is currently searching for a new spiritual leader after the death of Pope Francis this month.

He was referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who is not widely viewed as a leading contender for the papacy. There has never been a pope from the United States.

While Trump appeared to be speaking in jest, his comments drew attention online, particularly after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham voiced support for the idea on social media.

“This would truly be a dark horse candidate,” Graham wrote.

“I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility. The first pope-US president combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII!”

The Vatican has not responded to Trump’s remarks. The Catholic Church is expected to hold a conclave in the coming weeks to elect a new spiritual leader.

Moreover, Donald Trump faced online criticism after wearing a blue suit and tie to the funeral of Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City on 26 April 2025.

Despite some viral posts labelling his attire as disrespectful, Vatican sources confirmed that no formal dress code was violated.

However, Trump was not alone in opting for non-traditional colours. Other attendees, including former President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also wore outfits diverging from the typical black attire. Biden wore a blue tie while Zelenskyy wore a black suit without a tie. Prince William, who attended in a navy suit and black tie, avoided a similar backlash.