World leaders gathered in Rome on April 26 for Pope Francis’ funeral, but it was the contrasting welcomes for Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy that stole attention. Videos showed Zelenskyy being greeted with “a spontaneous round of applause,” while Trump, dressed in a blue suit instead of traditional black, received silence.
Commenters reacted quickly online, with one writing: “That’s a lot of applause honoring #Zelenskyy – it isn’t a mere handful,” while another added, “Europe values this man. Zelenskyy, a true leader.”
While Zelensky was greeted with a spontaneous round of applause, Trump, in his blue suit at Pope Francis's funeral, received nothing. pic.twitter.com/sd9PmONuni
— 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐒𝐀 | 🇪🇺🇫🇷🇵🇱🇺🇦 (@tweet4Anna_NAFO) April 26, 2025
According to Sky News, the funeral marked the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy since their tense White House encounter. A source said they had a “very productive discussion.”
Before the funeral, Trump called Pope Francis “a fantastic kind of a guy,” but also used the trip to discuss global issues, hinting at trade talks and a possible Russia-Ukraine peace deal: “We are very close to a deal,” he posted on Truth Social.
Despite the somber setting, Trump’s blue suit and muted reception became unexpected talking points.