Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) recommended that the greater than 230 Catholic Cardinals within the conclave “maintain an open thoughts” about contemplating President Donald Trump for the papacy.
“I used to be excited to listen to that President Trump is open to the concept of being the subsequent Pope,” Graham posted Tuesday on X. “This would really be a darkish horse candidate, however I’d ask the papal conclave and Catholic devoted to maintain an open thoughts about this chance! The primary Pope-U.S. President mixture has many upsides. Waiting for white smoke…. Trump MMXXVIII!”
Graham confirmed assist for the concept after President Trump was requested by a reporter if “he had anybody in thoughts” to succeed Pope Francis after he died on the age of 88.
“I’d wish to be pope,” President Trump joked Tuesday. “That’d be my primary selection.”
Trump added that he had “no desire” on which Cardinal ought to succeed the late Pope Francis however recommended that Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, can be decide.
“I don’t know,” Trump mentioned. “I have to say that we have now a Cardinal that occurs to be out of a spot known as New York that is excellent so we’ll see what occurs.”
In 2020, Trump instructed the Faith Information Service that he sees himself as a non-denominational Christian after he was “confirmed at a Presbyterian church as a toddler.”
Cardinal Dolan isn’t on the quick record of doable contenders to steer the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Potential Cardinals within the operating to be named the subsequent pontiff are from the Philippines, Italy, France, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and Guinea.
Any baptized Catholic male can function pope, offered he turns into ordained and appointed as a bishop earlier than a papal election takes place.
There has by no means been a pope from the US nevertheless, Francis was the primary pontiff from the Americas.
The conclave will start on Might 7, although Cardinals in Rome began having casual discussions forward of Pope Francis’ funeral.
Round 120 cardinals out of the 138 “princes of the church” are assigned to decide the holy successor inside 20 days of a pope’s dying.
The Cardinals will write down their selection on a chunk of paper in the course of the secretive course of within the Sistine Chapel.
They may vote 4 occasions a day till a successor is picked, however solely the highest two candidates will likely be thought-about after 30 rounds of voting.
Pope Francis was elected after 5 rounds of voting in 2013.
He died on Apr. 21, sooner or later after Easter Sunday, after struggling a stroke, the Vatican revealed.
The funeral was held on Apr. 26 in St. Peter’s Sq. with tons of of hundreds of mourners within the space saying their closing farewell.
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