Donald Trump’s tribute to the late Pope Francis sparked a wave of online reactions — not for what he said, but how he said it. His Truth Social post began respectfully: *“Rest in peace Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!”* But eyebrows rose when he added, *“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”*

That upbeat line set off a flurry of sarcastic responses. *“Bold choice of words for a funeral,”* one user said. Another joked, *“He thinks he’s headed to Coachella.”* But others defended him, noting that showing up matters more than phrasing: *“At least he’s attending. That’s more than many expected.”*

Trump and Francis had a rocky relationship. In 2016, the Pope said those who build walls, not bridges, *“are not Christian.”* Trump fired back: *“For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful.”* Still, they met in 2017 — an awkward but peaceful encounter.

The Pope’s funeral is set for April 26 in St. Peter’s Square. Trump’s visit will be his first official foreign trip since returning to office. Whether tone-deaf or just Trump being Trump, his words once again stole the spotlight.