'I'd like to be Pope', jokes Donald Trump amid Vatican succession talks

Trump jokes about wanting to be Pope, hints at Cardinal Dolan as top pick as Vatican begins sacred process to elect successor to Pope Francis

As the world awaits the election of the next Pope following the passing of Pope Francis, US President Donald Trump added his voice to the global conversation.

 

Speaking to reporters when asked who he believes should lead the Catholic Church, President Trump responded with a grin, “I’d like to be Pope,” before adding, “That would be my number one choice.”

 

.@POTUS: "I'd like to be pope." ????  "We have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who's very good, so we'll see what happens." pic.twitter.com/WPdRPwHxP9

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 29, 2025

 

 

Although the US President made it clear that he does not have an official preference in the sacred and complex papal selection process, he did highlight one American church leader.

 

“I must say we have a Cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who is very good. So we’ll see what happens,” he said, pointing to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. Dolan has long been a respected figure within the Catholic Church and is often seen as a bridge between traditional and modern church values. 

 

Pope Francis passes away at 88 

Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, at the Casa Santa Marta.  His death was officially confirmed by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo, who is in charge of managing the Church’s operations during the transition period.

 

Pope Francis was elected in March 2013 and has headed the Catholic Church for over 12 years. His final months were marked by health concerns, including a five-week hospital stay in early 2025 to treat a severe respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia. 

Toward a new papal era

 

With the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has now entered the ‘sede vacante’ period — a time when the papal seat is officially vacant. During this phase, the College of Cardinals gathers in Rome to begin deliberations on selecting the next leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

 

These discussions, known as ‘general congregations’, prepare the way for the sacred conclave, which takes place inside the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Cardinal electors under the age of 80 cast secret ballots during the conclave. When a candidate receives a two-thirds majority, white smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating to the world: Habemus Papam—“We Have a Pope”.