When U.S. President Donald Trump attends Pope Francis’ funeral this Saturday, he will not be sitting in the front row. Instead, he will be placed in the third row behind many world leaders, royal families, and Catholic dignitaries. For a man who loves being in the spotlight, this seating arrangement could be a tough pill to swallow.
The funeral, set to begin at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, will bring together about 130 official delegations. Around 50 heads of state and ten reigning monarchs are expected to attend. Despite his position as president of the United States, Trump won’t get a front-row seat. The Vatican follows a very specific seating plan—one that does not revolve around personal pride.
First in line are leaders from Argentina and Italy. Argentina takes the lead because Pope Francis was born there. Next comes Italy, home to the Vatican and the place where the Pope serves as Bishop of Rome. After that, other countries are seated based on the French alphabet, the traditional diplomatic language. So, the U.S.—listed as “Etats-Unis” in French—will be seated after countries starting with A, B, C, and D. That means Trump will be sitting behind the King of Spain and even the monarch of Belgium.
This could be a blow to Trump, who once called a meeting with Pope Francis “fantastic” but looked visibly uncomfortable in their famous 2017 photo together. The Pope, known for his calm yet firm stance on human rights and justice, has not hesitated to express his opinions about Trump in the past. In 2016, he even said, “A person who thinks only about building walls… is not Christian.”
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Tension between the two men didn’t end there. Pope Francis strongly opposed Trump’s immigration policies, including mass deportations and the idea of a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The pope believed those policies lacked compassion and did not align with Christian values. In a 2018 message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis said, “In this regard, I wish to reaffirm that our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote, and to integrate.”
Despite their rocky history, Trump was quick to confirm his attendance after the pope died on Easter Monday. But his presence may not bring the attention he desires. Royalty and Catholic leaders take priority. Even Trump’s own vice president, JD Vance, who met briefly with the pope before his death, will not be sitting beside him.
Adding more fuel to the drama, former President Joe Biden will also be at the funeral. However, he won’t be part of the official U.S. delegation. As a lifelong Catholic, Biden will likely sit further back among other VIPs. It’s worth noting that Trump has repeatedly attacked Biden’s faith and policies, yet it is Biden, not Trump, who shares the Pope’s religious identity.
At the center of it all is the late Pope Francis, a man who touched millions with his humility and kindness. In his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, he blessed the crowd at St. Peter’s Square. The very next day, he passed away from a stroke and heart failure.
Featured image via Screengrab
