The reason behind Donald Trump's front-row seat at Pope Francis' funeral, after he was originally expected to sit in the third row, has been revealed.
Hundreds of thousands gathered at St. Peter's Square on Saturday (April 26) to pay their respects to the late pontiff, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.
Among the attendees were Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Initial reports - including those from MSNBC and the Holy See Press Office - suggested that the US President would be seated behind Catholic and non-Catholic royalty and other heads of state, as guests were to be arranged according to the French alphabet, the traditional language of diplomacy.
Trump, seated alphabetically between Estonia and Finland under États-Unis (United States), was expected to land a spot several rows back.
The Vatican protocol, similar to the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, traditionally prioritizes Catholic royalty in the front row, followed by non-Catholic royalty and then world leaders.
Prince William, representing the British Royal Family, was among those seated in the third row alongside Prime Minister Kier Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
However, despite expectations, Trump secured a front-row seat.
The United States’ delegation, categorized under États-Unis, ensured a prominent placement near the top of the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica - not far behind Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Italy’s dignitaries, who had top priority.
Sources noted that the seating plan took into account not just protocol, but also "tricky" relationships between political leaders and "big egos," as explained by Cardinal Vincent Nichols to the PA news agency in Rome, per the MailOnline.
Managing these dynamics was crucial to avoid potential diplomatic embarrassment during one of the largest gatherings of world leaders in recent history.
Catherine Pepinster, a commentator on the Catholic Church, explained: "One of the interesting aspects of a ceremony such as this is that the Holy See has diplomatic relations with countries such as Russia and Iran, which may mean that world leaders who would not usually meet, would encounter one another in Rome," per Telegraph.
Despite securing the prestigious spot, the 78-year-old came under fire for his appearance at the solemn event.
The President opted for a navy blue suit and tie instead of the traditional black attire expected at Catholic funerals. His choice drew heavy criticism on social media.
Trump’s outfit immediately drew widespread attention online, with critics accusing him of being "disrespectful" and showing "no respect."
"How disrespectful, Trump is at the Pope’s funeral wearing a blue suit & he looks completely out of place," one user criticized, while another blasted: “Watching the funeral on BBC News. Trump is in a blue suit when everyone else is in black. No class.”
"Why is Trump wearing a navy suit? He couldn’t, just for a few hours, wear black, like everyone else, as a sign of respect. There is no common rule that this moron does not break. Stands out in the crowd for all the wrong reasons, always," a third shared.
Others also pointed out the irony, recalling Trump's previous scathing remarks about Zelenskyy’s informal attire during a White House meeting in February.
“Why is Trump wearing a blue suit instead of a black one like others. Perhaps Zelenskyy could ask him why he hasn't dressed more appropriately?" one added.
Trump wasn't the only leader under fire, as Zelensky was also slammed for wearing formal clothes to the funeral.
However, the 47-year-old has repeatedly stated he will not wear a suit again until the war in Ukraine is over - a personal decision he has maintained since declaring martial law on February 24, 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion.