Senator Lindsey Graham wants the Catholic Church to consider a long-shot candidate for pope: Donald J. Trump.
In a post on X Tuesday, Graham said, “I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope. This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!”
He followed up with, “The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides,” and ended the post with, “Watching for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII!”—a reference to both the traditional signal of a new pope and Trump’s 2028 campaign.
It’s unclear if he meant it, but the reaction was instant. Meghan McCain replied: “Get a grip.”
Trump himself had floated the idea earlier in the week while speaking to reporters outside the White House. “I’d like to be pope,” he said. “That would be my number one choice.”
Later, he softened the tone, saying he had “no preference” for who the Church chooses, though he praised New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan as “very good.”
I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope. This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!
The first Pope-U.S. President combination has… pic.twitter.com/MM9vE5Uvzb
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 29, 2025
There has never been an American pope, and Dolan is not seen as a frontrunner.
The idea of Trump becoming pope might seem like a joke—but the timing is serious.
The Catholic Church is about to select a new leader after Pope Francis died last week at age 88, following complications from a stroke and lung disease.
Francis had been openly critical of Trump’s presidency, particularly his stance on immigration.
Cardinals have scheduled the papal conclave to begin May 7. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. There are 135 eligible, but not all are expected to participate.
