For Darlene Superville, Associated Press
Rome (AP) – President Donald Trump will be among the more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries who attend Saturday’s funeral for Pope Francis, where he will personally respect the Roman Catholic leader who is punctual or broadcast.
Trump told reporters that he went to the funeral “out of respect” to the pontiff, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 88.
The president and the first lady Melania Trump arrived in Rome on Friday night for the service in the Basilica of San Pedro in the city of the Vatican on Saturday morning. Francis will be willing to rest a private burial in the Basilica Mayor of Santa María outside the walls of the Vatican.
Francis disagree with the Trump approach on issues that include immigration, the treatment of migrants and climate change. The Argentine pontiff and the US president appeared at the beginning of their relationship on immigration. In 2016, Francis, alluding to Trump candidate and his campaign slogan of “Build The Wall”, called anyone who builds a wall to prevent migrants from “not Christians Noan.” Trump said the comment was “shameful.”
But after Francis’s death, the Republican president praised him as a “good man” who “worked hard” and “loved the world.” Trump also ordered that US flags be flown in the middle of the staff in honor of Francis.
Trump had said on a couple of occasions before leaving Washington that he would have “many” or meetings with counterparts outside the funeral. But he seemed to get away from that while flying to Rome.
“Frankly, it is a bit disrespectful to have meetings when you are at the funeral of a Pope,” the president told journalists who accompany him aboard Air Force One. However, Trump said: “I will talk to people. I will see many people.”
The leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Hungary and Argentina are among which they are expected to attend.
A person with whom Trump did not expect to interact is former President Joe Biden, who planned to attend the funeral with his wife, Jill. Trump said he knew that his Democratic predecessor would be at the funeral. When asked if they would be, Trump said: “He is not high on my list. It really is not.”
The Pope’s funeral will not be one of those occasions that meet the current and previous presidents of the United States. Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush do not attend, they said their offices. A spokesman for former President Bill Clinton did not respond to an investigation into his plans.
Trump did not elaborate when asked if he would simply meet with leaders in approval or maintaining more conversations in depth. He suggested that he could have meetings in Villa Tavena, the residence of the United States ambassador, where the night spent.
“It’s a bit difficult because we don’t have much time,” Trump said, pointing to his late arrival in Rome. It was scheduled to return to the United States immediately after funeral.
“I think we are going to try to see a couple of people who are important in what we are doing,” said Trump, who is trying to negotiate the fire of Russia and Ukraine and negotiate commercial fibers.
He published in Truth Social Shorts after arriving in Rome that Ukraine and Russia should for “very high level talks” at the end of Three War’s bloody war caused by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, with Russian President Vladimir Putin on early Friday, and Trump said both parties were “very close to an agreement.”
It was an uncle if Ukrainian President Volodyymyr Zenskyy arrived in Rome for the funeral. Putin will not attend.
Originally published:
