Trump jokes he’d like to be pope, ‘Number 1 choice’ – then names a real contender

President Donald Trump joked to reporters Tuesday that he’d “like to be pope” while departing for Michigan, where he will hold a rally celebrating his 100 days back in the Oval Office. 

“I’d like to be pope,” Trump joked to a gaggle of reporters when asked who he would like to see lead the Catholic Church after Pope Francis’ death. “That’d be my number one choice,” he continued. 

TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY HAVE ‘VERY PRODUCTIVE’ TALK AS THEY ATTEND POPE FRANCIS’ FUNERAL

Donald and Melania Trump at Pope Francis’ funeral. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Pope Francis died Easter Monday at the age of 88 amid ongoing health issues. Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended the funeral Mass Saturday at the Vatican, where the president also held a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

CONCLAVE TO PICK NEXT POPE TO BEGIN MAY 7, VATICAN SAYS

Pope Francis died Easter Monday. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

“No, I don’t know. I don’t have a preference. I might 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,” Trump, who is not Catholic, continued, referring to Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan. 

Though unlikely to become pope, Dolan is one of 10 U.S. cardinals who will be voting for Francis’ successor. 

CARDINAL DOLAN GIVES INSIDE LOOK INTO CONCLAVE, HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN SELECTING A NEW POPE

The Vatican will hold a papal conclave in May, which will gather the church’s cardinals to elect the next pope. Any baptized Catholic male is canonically eligible to be pope, but the church has for centuries elected the next pope from the College of Cardinals, EWTN reported.

People attend the funeral Mass of Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, April 26, 2025. (Remo Casilli/Reuters)

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Trump’s remarks came as he departed for Macomb County, Michigan, which is located near Detroit, to celebrate his 100th day back in the Oval Office. 

Trump has ended each of his three presidential campaigns with rallies in the battleground state of Michigan, including capping off his successful 2024 campaign in Grand Rapids.