Donald Trump jokingly names himself as 'number one choice' to succeed Pope Francis ahead of conclave

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump told reporters on the White House lawn that he would like to become the next pope in a moment of jest on Tuesday, April 29, reported People.

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88. On April 26, Trump attended his funeral service at Vatican City with his wife Melania, who is the second practising Catholic to become FLOTUS after the late Jackie Kennedy.

Donald Trump's remarks on Pope Francis's successor

The papal conclave for electing the next leader of the Catholic Church is set to begin on May 7. When asked whom he would like to see as the new pope, the POTUS mused, "I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice.”

He later added in all seriousness that he did not have any preference in regard to the outcome of the conclave, but hinted at backing Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York.

"I must say we have a cardinal who happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good,” said Trump. "We’ll see what happens.”

Dolan offered the invocation during the second presidential inauguration of Trump back in January. He also led the funeral mass service for the late Pope Francis at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday.

While it is possible for the next pope to hail from the United States, it is also highly unlikely, as Dr Bill Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies at DePaul University, explained, "I think that there's no chance for an American pope just because the United States is already so powerful in the world."

According to People, the frontrunners to succeed Pope Francis include Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines, Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem.

Internet trolls Donald Trump for joking about becoming next pope

Reacting to Donald Trump's joke about becoming Pope Francis' successor, people on social media took to X (formerly Twitter) to troll the president.

"Pay-per-view boxing match with the Dalai Lama. Bigly spiritual," wrote a person.

"Let me guess, 'I’d be a better pope than any past pope,'" said another.

"The Pope without any hope," one individual commented.

"Communion gonna be steak and ketchup now," chided a fourth.

"Great when can we ship him to the Vatican along with Vance," mocked a fifth.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.