In a Truth Social post on Monday, President Donald Trump declared, "Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome."
"We look forward to being there!" he said, excitedly.
Trump's eagerness — puncuated with an exclamation point — led several people online to question the post and mock the president over what they saw as an awkward post.
"Why would you look forward to being at a funeral?" asked The Bulwark's Sam Stein.
"Will be wild!" posted freelance writer Hank Epton, harkening back to the Jan. 6 attack. Prior to the event, Trump encouraged his flock to attend the rally, promising it would be "wild."
"If you are Trump at his advanced age, every funeral is a reminder of everyone you outlived," cracked New York Times opinion columnist Lydia Polgreen.
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Former BBC News reporter Robert Rea remarked, "'Look forward to being there'??? I mean.. what the f---… he does actually know what a funeral is, right? That it’s not a party?"
Political editor James Ball of The New European posted a faux exchange on X: "'Look, JD, tell your boss that the only way I’m meeting him is if at least one of us is in a box.' '…okay!'"
Former Virginia Republican legislator Dr. David I. Ramadan commented, "'We look forward to being there' is not the sentiment you express about a funeral—especially for a revered figure like the Pope. Stop at confirming attendance or, better yet, offer a tribute to his legacy. It’s not about being seen, it’s about showing respect —but this is Donald Trump …"
Online influencer @urocklive1, who goes by Khashoggi's Ghost to her 245,000 followers, wrote on Bluesky, "I'm half expecting Trump to appoint himself as the next Pope."
Entrepreneur and social media marketing influencer Mario Pawlowski attacked Trump's comments, saying, "This motherf---er treats Pope funeral like it’s a Mar-a-Lago gala. Pope’s not cold dead yet and Trump’s already RSVP’ing with a smile. ‘We look forward to being there!’ — bro, it’s not a f---ing barbecue. This is why the world laughs at us."
"In the evening of April 21, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell will preside over the certification of death and the laying of the body in the coffin, according to a Vatican press release," USA Today reported.
