Donald Trump gushes over wife Melania's appearance at Pope Francis' funeral: 'People loved her'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump gushed over first lady Melania Trump's appearance at Pope Francis' funeral, while he avoided discussing her birthday dinner as he spoke to the media after landing aboard Marine One on the White House South Lawn on Sunday, April 27.

Melania turned 55 on Saturday, the same day the pope was laid to rest in Vatican City. The president told reporters on Friday that he planned to take Melania for "dinner on the Boeing" after the funeral, according to The Daily Beast.

Donald Trump says people 'loved' Melania Trump at Pope Francis' 'beautiful' funeral

When asked on Sunday how the birthday celebration went, Donald Trump said, "We had a great dinner. She’s a great first lady. People loved her" at the funeral. However, he did not elaborate on the meal.

Meanwhile, Melania shared a photo of herself at the funeral with her eyes closed. She captioned the picture, "Thank you all for the heartfelt birthday wishes."

"I had the honor of attending Pope Francis’ funeral, on this day, where I prayed for the healing of those who are suffering and for peace in the world," she wrote.

During Pope Francis' funeral, Trump and the first lady were seated in the front row, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Melania wore a black coat dress and a traditional black lace mantilla paired with matching gloves, while the POTUS opted for a blue suit.

The first couple remained mostly somber throughout the ceremony, which celebrated a pope who was an outspoken critic of Trump’s mass deportation plans, as per the Daily Beast.

Trump further told reporters on Sunday, "The funeral was beautiful. It was a beautiful funeral. As funerals go, it was a beautiful funeral."

Donald Trump said he hadn't had much time to get Melania Trump presents for her birthday

On Friday, Donald Trump was asked by a reporter, "Are you taking Melania to dinner or have you had time to get her a present?"

The 78-year-old replied, "I’ll take her to dinner on the Boeing, I’ll take her for dinner on Air Force One. I haven’t had much time to buy presents. I’ve been pretty busy. But it’s working out. People are starting to understand how good tariffs are, for us."

Notably, on Saturday, Trump shared an awkward birthday kiss with Melania on her cheek before the couple parted ways following Pope Francis' funeral.

However, this wasn't the first time the couple shared an awkward kiss. During Trump’s second inauguration in January, Melania's hat seemed to get in the way as he leaned in for a kiss.

On Saturday, Trump initially waved goodbye to Melania but seemed to reconsider, deciding to give her a peck on the cheek.

The FLOTUS, not fully embracing Trump, leaned in slightly and placed her hand on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her lower back.