'I'd like to be pope': Trump on his number one choice to succeed Pope Francis | Watch

Even as US President Donald Trump’s loyalists are figuring out how to get him a third term, he may have handed them another challenging task.

Now they may have to see if Trump can be a head of two states as Trump appears to have his eyes on the Vatican City.

When asked who he would want to see as the successor of late Pope Francis, Trump on Tuesday said that he would be the best candidate.

“I’d like to be Pope. That would be my number one choice,” said Trump.

Trump: "I'd like to be Pope. That would be my number one choice." pic.twitter.com/VHB5VPdoV9

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 29, 2025

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Trump has already found support for the idea among his loyalist Congresspersons.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that he would “ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!”

The Conclave is the gathering of top Roman Catholic Christian bishops to elect the next pope. The Conclave is set to convene on May 7.

“The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke….Trump MMXXVIII!” said Graham.

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

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Despite immediate support, Trump appears to recognise the challenge before him. He went on to suggest that he might be joking about wanting to be pope.

Trump said, “I don’t have any preference [about the next pope]. I’d say that we have a cardinal who happens to be out of a place called New York who is very good. So, let’s see what happens.”

Trump has a major obstacle in his path of becoming pope. To be a pope, a person must be a baptised Roman Catholic man. But Trump is not a Roman Catholic. He has identified as a Protestant previously and there is no indication that he has converted to Catholicism.