Rome (AP) – President Donald Trump Saturday was one of more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries who attended the Pope Francis funeralWhere he paid tribute to the Roman Catholic leader who did not agree with him on a variety of questions.
Trump also met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefly before the service, the White House office and Zelenskyy confirmed. The director of communications for the White House, Steven Cheung, said that they “met in private today and had a very productive discussion” and that more details would follow.
Trump arrived at the Vatican with his wife, the First Lady Melania Trump, and was seated in the front row, not far from the French president Emmanuel Macron, for the outdoor service.
President Donald Trump, third on the right, flanked by First Lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, from the first row to the left, and the president of the Finland, Alexander Stubb, second on the left, attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saint-Pierre square at the Vatican, Saturday April 26, 2025 (AP Photo / Gregorio Borgia)
Trump told journalists on Friday when he flew to Rome that he went to the funeral “without respect” for the pontiff, who Died Monday After suffering A blow at the age of 88.
Francis did not agree with Trump’s approach On questions including immigration, treatment of migrants and climate change. The Argentinian pontiff and the American president clashed at the start of their immigration relationship. In 2016, Francis, alluding to the then candidate Trump and her campaign slogan of “build the wall”, called anyone built a wall to prevent migrants ” not Christian. “Trump said the comment was” shameful “.
But after the death of Francis, the republican president congratulated him as a “good man” who “worked hard” and “loved the world”. Trump also ordered that American flags are stolen from half of the staff in honor of Francis.
Trump had declared a few times before leaving Washington that he would have “a lot” of meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the funeral. But he seemed to move away from this when he flew to Rome.
“Frankly, it’s a bit disrespectful to have meetings when you are at the funeral of a pope,” the president told the journalists accompanying him on the Air Force One. Nevertheless, Trump said, “I’m going to talk to people. I will see a lot of people.”
The leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Hungary and Argentina are among those who participated.
A person that Trump did not expect to interact is the former president Joe BidenA practicing Roman Catholic who attended his wife, Jill. Biden, wearing his signature aviator sunglasses was seated several rows behind Trump, who said he did not know that his democratic predecessor would be at the funeral. When asked if they would come together, Trump said: “It’s not high on my list. This is really not the case.”
The pope’s funeral are not one of those opportunities that bring together the current and former Americans. Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush did not participate, said their offices. A spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton did not respond to an investigation on his plans.
Trump did not develop when he was asked if he would only meet leaders by passing or holding more in -depth talks.
“It’s a bit difficult because we don’t have much time,” said Trump, noting his late arrival in Rome on Friday. He had to return to the United States immediately after the funeral.
“I think we are going to try to see a few people who are important in what we do,” said Trump, who tries to negotiate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and negotiate trade agreements with several countries.
After Trump was shown at his headquarters for the funeral, he was immediately followed by the Saint-Pierre Basilica by Zelenskyy, which was greeted by a splendor of public applause.
Trump posted on Truth social shortly after his arrival in Rome that Ukraine and Russia should Meet for “very high level conferences” By finishing the bloody three -year war launched by the invasion of Russia. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, had met Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said the two parties were “very close to an agreement”. Putin did not attend the funeral.
