In a lighthearted moment, Donald Trump expressed that he would consider himself his own “number one choice” for the next leader of the Catholic Church. During a conversation with a reporter on Tuesday, Trump stated, “I’d like to be pope,” while also offering his thoughts on potential candidates for the role.
Trump’s unlikely candidacy
While Trump is widely recognized for his tenure as the former president of the United States and his status as a billionaire with three marriages, the likelihood of him being selected as the head of the Catholic Church remains slim. This is especially relevant as the nearly 2,000-year-old institution is in the process of identifying a new spiritual leader following the recent passing of Pope Francis.
Potential successors to Pope Francis
When asked about his preferences for Francis’s successor, Trump remarked, “I have no preference,” although he did highlight a particular cardinal: “I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good, so we’ll see what happens.” The cardinal Trump referred to is Timothy Dolan, the current Archbishop of New York. However, it is worth noting that Dolan is not currently viewed as one of the frontrunners to replace Francis, and notably, the position of pope has never been held by someone from the United States.