Sen. Graham Urges Papal Conclave to Consider Trump as Pope

Following Pope Francis's death, President Donald Trump jokingly expressed interest in becoming the next pope, suggesting himself as his 'number one choice' before noting he had 'no preference' and mentioning Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as a strong candidate. In response, Senator Lindsey Graham took to social media, also in jest, urging the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to 'keep an open mind' about a Trump papacy, suggesting the unprecedented combination of a Pope-U.S. President could have 'many upsides.' Graham's lighthearted remarks were met with mixed reactions online, including criticism from commentators such as Meghan McCain. The Vatican has scheduled the conclave to elect a new pope for May 7. Trump and other world leaders attended Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome. Trump also offered condolences to the Catholic community following the pontiff's passing.