Trump to attend Pope Francis’ funeral after ‘anti-Christian bias’ executive order

President Donald Trump has announced plans to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome. This decision comes at a time when Trump has been focusing more on religious policies and follows a history of sometimes difficult relations with the late Pope.

As reported by USA Today, the announcement was made in a post on Truth Social, where Trump confirmed that he and First Lady Melania Trump will travel to the Vatican for the service. Trump said, “Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”

Pope Francis passed away after suffering a reported stroke and irreversible heart failure. His death has led to a period of mourning and the start of preparations for his funeral. The ceremony is expected to follow traditional papal funeral customs.

President Trump will be at Pope Francis’ funeral

President Trump’s decision to attend the funeral is especially notable because of his past disagreements with Pope Francis, as reported by Fox News. During Trump’s first term, the two leaders publicly clashed, most famously over Trump’s proposed border wall. Pope Francis, known for supporting immigrants and refugees, criticized the plan, leading to a strong response from Trump.

They also had differing views on immigration and other issues. Despite these tensions, Trump did meet with the Pope once during his first term. In contrast, President Biden has met with Pope Francis multiple times during his presidency.

In recent months, Trump has spoken more openly about his faith. He has described himself as a nondenominational Christian (per Newsweek) and has made more frequent religious statements. This shift became more noticeable after a reported assassination attempt at one of his campaign rallies. Trump often suggests that divine intervention played a role in his survival.

This increased focus on religion is also seen in the creation of the White House Faith Office earlier this year. Trump established this office through an executive order, saying it would address what he called “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government.

The appointment of Paula White, a well-known televangelist, to a senior role in the office shows how much he wants to push this. He’s also done things like pardon several anti-abortion activists.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, Vice President JD Vance recently visited the Vatican. Vance, who is Catholic, met with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, just one day before the Pope’s death. This meeting was one of the Pope’s last interactions with a high-ranking American political figure.