Why will Trump be seated in third row at Pope Francis's funeral? READ

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Vatican: At Pope Francis’s funeral at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday, US President Donald Trump will not be seated in the front rows reserved for top dignitaries, in line with Vatican protocol. The Telegraph reports that Trump will be placed in the third row, behind the main section of world leaders.

Trump and the late Pope Francis had significant differences on issues such as migration, climate change, and the Gaza conflict.

During his first presidential campaign in 2016, Donald Trump faced sharp criticism from Pope Francis, who questioned Trump’s Christianity over his plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to block migrants. Trump fired back, calling the Pope's comments “disgraceful.”

So, is Trump being seated in the third row at the Pope’s funeral a deliberate snub or just protocol?

In reality, it’s all about Vatican tradition. Dignitaries are seated based on the alphabetical order of their countries' names in French — and since “United States” translates to “États-Unis,” Trump actually ranks fairly high, ahead of representatives from many of the 130 plus attending countries. However, leaders from Italy, Argentina, and royal families are given priority seating as per Vatican protocol.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei, despite his earlier criticisms of Pope Francis before taking office in 2023, will be seated in the first row alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Italy — which officially recognized Vatican City as a sovereign state in 1929 and where the Pope also holds the title of Bishop of Rome — receives second priority in the seating protocol.

Meanwhile, Trump and former US President Joe Biden may share a potentially awkward moment at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, as both are expected to be seated near each other in the third row, according to the anticipated seating plan. Although the Vatican has not yet confirmed official details, the arrangement is likely to follow the precedent set during Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005.

According to NewsNation, a spokesperson for Joe Biden confirmed that the former president and his wife, Jill Biden, are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome. Biden, the second Roman Catholic president in U.S. history after John F. Kennedy, had met with Pope Francis multiple times during his presidency.

Earlier, Donald Trump took a jab at then-President Joe Biden for being seated in the 14th row during Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral in 2022, calling the arrangement “humiliating” for the United States.

“This is what’s happened to America in just two short years. No respect. However, a good time for our president to get to know the leaders of certain Third World countries. If I were president, they wouldn’t have sat me back there – and our Country would be much different than it is right now. In real estate, like in politics and in life, location is everything," Trump had mocked Biden.