2 months ago
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(The Hill) - President Trump and different satellite leaders gathered successful Rome connected Saturday to grant the beingness of Pope Francis, who died connected Monday astatine the property of 88.
The pope, calved Jorge Mario Bergoglio successful Argentina, had a crisp governmental edge and adjacent narration with galore leaders passim his 12 years arsenic the caput of the Catholic Church.
His ceremonial came astatine a pivotal clip for Trump to beryllium face-to-face with different heads of state, portion his medication works to negociate deals with trading partners connected tariffs and arsenic helium has urged for an extremity to the warfare successful Ukraine.
Here are 5 takeaways from the Pope’s funeral.
Honors for Francis
The ceremonial for Pope Francis focused connected his humble and singular beingness and enactment astatine the Vatican, during which helium was considered a trailblazer and broke barriers successful the Catholic Church. About 250,000 radical gathered extracurricular of St. Peter’s Basilica to grant the precocious pope, The Washington Post reported.
The president and archetypal woman Melania Trump paid their respects to Francis, lasting earlier the coffin for a moment, the White House shared on the societal media level X. Trump wore a bluish suit and bluish necktie portion the archetypal woman wore a achromatic formal and achromatic veil.
Other satellite leaders shared images of the ceremonial connected societal media.
“Farewell to Pope Francis and a peculiar Mass astatine St. Peter’s Square. The unity of radical from each parts of the world. Gratitude to Pope Francis. Prayers that fortify and animate hope. May the Lord perceive each sincere bosom today!” Ukrainian President Zelensky wrote on X.
Trump meets with Zelensky
Trump and Zelensky met face-to-face wrong of St. Peter’s Basilica earlier the ceremonial began connected Saturday morning. The gathering lasted for astir 15 minutes, per Ukrainian officials, and comes successful stark opposition to their last in-person interaction, erstwhile Zelensky abruptly departed a White House gathering aft a fiery spat.
“President Trump and President Zelensky met privately contiguous and had a precise productive discussion,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said Saturday. “More details astir the gathering volition follow.”
The White House posted an image of the meeting, calling it a backstage beryllium down. Zelensky earlier connected Saturday posted an representation of the 2 leaders sitting crossed from 1 another, staring oculus to eye, and helium thanked Trump for the meeting.
“Good meeting. We discussed a batch 1 connected one. Hoping for results connected everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting bid that volition forestall different warfare from breaking out,” the Ukrainian president said. “Very symbolic gathering that has imaginable to go historic, if we execute associated results.”
Trump meets with different European leaders
French President Emmanuel Macron briefly spoke with Trump and Zelensky earlier the 2 sat down for their face-to-face, according to a video shared by White House lawman main of unit Dan Scavino.
Other images on societal media amusement British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with Macron, Trump and Zelensky for a little greeting. Macron and Starmer person besides lobbied for a truce successful the three-year-long warfare successful Ukraine, portion continuing to connection funds successful enactment of the country.
Zelensky and Macron met aft the ceremonial for talks connected “further bid efforts,” according to Ukrainian curate of overseas affairs Andrii Sybiha on X.
European Union President Ursula von der Leyen shared on X that she shook hands with Trump and said she had “good exchanges with several” of the satellite leaders she spoke to.
The president had imposed a 20 percent tariff connected goods coming from the European Union earlier helium paused each reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, keeping 10 percent tariffs successful place. Von der Leyen enactment retaliatory tariffs connected the U.S. on hold after the intermission and has signaled that the 27-member trading bloc is open to negotiations with the Trump administration, but said if they are not “satisfactory,” the countermeasures volition beryllium reinstated.
Other American officials present
Former President Biden and erstwhile archetypal woman Jill Biden, some wearing prima glasses, were seated a fewer rows down Trump. Biden was the 2nd Catholic president successful U.S. past aft erstwhile President John F. Kennedy.
The erstwhile president bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the U.S.’s highest civilian award, upon Francis earlier helium near bureau successful January. He was expected to sojourn with the Pope successful Rome during his last period arsenic president, but canceled the travel due to the fact that of deadly wildfires successful California.
Biden and Francis had met aggregate times passim his presidency and the 2 had a close, supportive relationship.
Trump officials connected the travel to Rome included main of unit Susie Wiles, lawman main of unit Dan Scavino and nationalist information advisor Mike Waltz. They were seen by reporters traveling with the president successful the eighth enactment of the dignitaries conception astatine the funeral.
Other satellite leaders present
Prince William attended the funeral and paid his respects to the Pope. It does not look that Trump met with the British royal.
The president’s spot astatine the ceremonial was shared in a video by the White House. He was seated crossed the aisle from Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Estonian President Alar Karis was seated adjacent to the archetypal lady.
