Political Tensions Overshadow Pope Francis’ Funeral as Trump Faces Indirect Criticism

Donald Trump’s divisive policies on immigration and geopolitics cast a shadow over Pope Francis’ funeral, where global leaders gathered in St. Peter’s Square. The late pontiff’s legacy of advocating for refugees and marginalized communities stood in stark contrast to Trump’s border wall rhetoric, highlighted during Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s homily.

Cameras captured Trump’s visible reaction as the Cardinal reiterated Francis’ famous call to ’build bridges, not walls’—a direct rebuke of the former president’s 2016 campaign stance. The moment underscored the Vatican’s enduring critique of nationalist isolationism, a theme Francis consistently championed during his papacy.

While the funeral drew crowds cheering for Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump appeared isolated among European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, their tense exchanges reflecting broader geopolitical fissures. The ceremony inadvertently became a platform for contrasting visions of global solidarity.