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While acknowledging he holds no official preference for the successor to Pope Francis, the US President did single out one prominent American figure.
US President Donald Trump
Amidst ongoing discussions about the selection of the next Pope, US President Donald Trump declared his choice for the new Vatican leader. When the US President was asked about who should lead Vatican City, he responded with a playful remark.
“I’d like to be Pope,” he quipped, adding, “That would be my number one choice.”
While acknowledging he holds no official preference for the successor to Pope Francis, the US President did single out one prominent American figure.
“I might say we have a Cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who is very good. So we’ll see what happens,” he stated, referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York.
Pope Francis’ Death
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The news was officially announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo. Pope Francis had served as the head of the Catholic Church for twelve years since his election in March 2013. Pope Francis’s health had been a concern in the months leading up to his death. He had been hospitalized for five weeks in February and March 2025, where he was treated for a respiratory tract infection and bilateral pneumonia.
Selection Of New Pope
The selection of a new Pope begins with the “sede vacante” period, following the death of the previous Pope. The College of Cardinals, composed of cardinals under the age of 80, gathers in Rome to participate in a series of meetings called “general congregations” to discuss the needs and challenges facing the Church and to prepare for the conclave. Following this, the cardinal electors process into the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican which is sealed off from the outside world to ensure the secrecy of the election process.
Inside the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals participate in multiple rounds of secret balloting to elect the Pope. Once a candidate receives the necessary two-thirds majority, the ballots are burned with a chemical additive to produce white smoke, announcing to the world “Habemus Papam” (“We have a Pope”).
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
