Donald Trump Breaks Silence On Pope Francis' Death At The White House Easter Event

Donald Trump honors the late Pope Francis with a touching tribute at the White House Easter Egg Roll event.

The POTUS expressed his love and respect for the deceased head of the Catholic Church on Monday, April 21. His sweet words come hours after the pontiff's death was announced.

Donald Trump isn't the only leader who honored Pope Francis as other renowned politicians penned their grief and prayers to the sovereign of the Vatican City State.

At the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, Trump addressed the nation while honoring Pope Francis' memory with some kind words. He described the late head of the Catholic Church as a loving and caring person, calling him:

"A very good man who loved, loved the world, and he especially loved people that were having a hard time, and that's good with me."

Trump's honor didn't end there as he revealed Francis' passing would be a national event. He noted he signed an executive order that proclaimed all federal and state flags across the U.S. to be flown at half-mast in the Pope's memory.

The POTUS similarly addressed Francis' death on his Truth Social platform with kind words, writing, "Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!"

TMZ noted Trump last met the Pope in person in 2017, while his vice president, JD Vance, saw Francis on Easter Sunday, hours before his death. 

News of Pope Francis' death came via a statement from the Vatican. The Blast covered the story, reporting the heartbreaking message delivered by His Eminence Cardinal Farrell began: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis."

"At 7:35 this morning (local time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Cardinal Farrell continued, adding:

"He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized."

The death announcement concluded with praise for Pope Francis, who was hailed as an example of "a true disciple of the Lord Jesus."

The head of the Catholic Church died a day after he was last seen publicly on Easter Sunday. He was photographed greeting a crowd from the gallery of St. Peter's Basilica after celebrating Mass.

During his final public appearance, Pope Francis issued an important message to the world. An aide read his Easter Sunday note to the crowd, capturing the late sovereign of the Vatican City State's plea for peace and understanding between people regardless of their differences.

"There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression," the Pope stressed. His words of wisdom extended to the ongoing violence in Gaza, which he described as a "deplorable humanitarian situation."

Francis implored the Israel-Palestine forces to end their conflict and allow healing to begin.

"I express my closeness to the sufferings... for all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. Call a ceasefire, release the hostages, and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace," the late Pope pleaded.

Trump wasn't the only one to honor Pope Francis' memory as other world leaders paid tribute to the late head of the Catholic Church. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed his grief on X, writing: "Deeply saddened to hear of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis."

"His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy. On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I share my sincerest condolences to the whole Catholic Church," Sir Starmer added.

The official British Royal Family account on X shared King Charles' reaction to the Pope's passing. The King's lengthy message in part read:

"My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis. Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry."

Other leaders who honored Pope Francis' death include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and more.

Last June, The Blast covered Trump's heated reaction to former president Joe Biden's meet-and-greet with Pope Francis. The video of the duo's encounter made waves on social media, capturing Biden bumping foreheads with the late sovereign of the Vatican City State.

It was unclear if they accidentally touched foreheads, but the moment was brief. However, it had Trump slamming Biden for putting the Pope in an awkward position. He addressed the incident on his Truth Social platform, writing:

"Look at the Pope—He's freaking out! This can't be normal, can it?"

Trump's criticism followed scathing remarks about Biden, including statements about a possible mental decline. The POTUS urged his former competitor to take a cognitive test to detect early signs of memory loss and other cognitive impairments.

Rest in peace, Pope Francis!