Dead Socialist Pope Eclipsed By Golden Age POTUS
On April 26, 2025, at Pope Francis’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square, President Donald Trump emerged as a magnetic force among the dozens of world leaders in attendance, with many visibly eager to secure a moment of his attention. Reports from Fox News, as shared by Martha McCallum, described Trump as a “gravity center” at the event, with leaders flocking to him before the ceremony began. The funeral, attended by 50 heads of state, 10 reigning sovereigns, and 130 national delegations, provided a rare convergence of global power, and Trump’s presence—on his first international trip of his second term—drew significant focus amidst the solemn occasion. Leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite past tensions with Trump, were among those present, creating a charged atmosphere ripe for impromptu diplomacy.
The scramble for Trump’s attention underscores his outsized influence on the global stage, even at an event meant to honor the late Pope Francis, who had often clashed with Trump on issues like immigration and climate change. Posts on X captured the sentiment, noting how world leaders rushed to greet him, eager to share a moment with the U.S. president, who was seated in the third row per Vatican protocol, behind Italy’s and Argentina’s leaders. This positioning did little to diminish his prominence, as leaders like Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Spain’s King Felipe VI navigated the diplomatic minefield to engage with him. The funeral’s backdrop, with St. Peter’s Basilica looming and the College of Cardinals in crimson on the left, contrasted sharply with the political maneuvering, highlighting Trump’s ability to command attention even in a setting meant for reflection and mourning.
Trump’s draw at the funeral also reflects the broader geopolitical tensions of the moment, as his “America First” policies—particularly on tariffs and immigration—have strained U.S. alliances, making face-to-face interactions with him a high-stakes opportunity for world leaders. The absence of leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping, who sent lower-level officials, left room for others to vie for Trump’s ear, especially on pressing issues like the war in Ukraine, where Zelenskyy’s presence was notable but reportedly brief, as he planned to return to Kyiv immediately after the Mass. Meanwhile, Trump’s interactions, including a potentially awkward handshake with Macron or a brief exchange with Starmer, were closely watched, as the funeral became a stage not just for mourning but for global power dynamics. For Trump, the event was a chance to reinforce his central role in international affairs, even as the Vatican’s protocol and the Pope’s legacy of advocating for the marginalized subtly underscored the contradictions of his polarizing leadership.
