Pope Francis met many world leaders during his 12 years as pope, including Donald and Melania Trump. The Trumps confirmed they will attend his funeral after meeting him at the Vatican during Trump’s first term. However, their meeting was marked by confusion when Pope Francis attempted to speak Italian with Melania, who claimed to speak the language, but appeared to struggle.
Pope Francis, 88, passed away on April 21, 2025, after years of health issues, including a stroke and respiratory problems. He had met with several U.S. presidents, including Barack Obama in 2014, where they discussed human rights and religious freedom. In 2015, he visited the U.S., becoming the first pope to address a joint session of Congress.
Trump’s relationship with Francis was strained, particularly after a public feud over immigration. Despite this, Trump and Melania met Pope Francis in 2017. The meeting was awkward, especially when Pope Francis spoke Italian to Melania, who struggled to respond. She claimed to be fluent in several languages but only responded in English, raising questions about her true language skills.
Melania had previously stated she spoke five languages, but no evidence has surfaced to support this claim. Author Mary Jordan suggested she may have exaggerated for image purposes, noting she was only ever heard speaking Slovenian and English.