Politics in 2025 has officially reached a peak level of "what did I just read?" This isn't just about a normal policy disagreement or a typical campaign trail jab. We are talking about the moment South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham took to X (formerly Twitter) to basically suggest Donald Trump should be the next Pope.
Yes. Seriously.
It started after the passing of Pope Francis in April 2025. While the Catholic world was mourning and preparing for a somber transition, Donald Trump was, well, being Donald Trump. During a press interaction, Trump was asked who he’d like to see lead the Church. He didn't name a Cardinal—at least not at first. He joked that he’d be his own "number one choice."
Then came the tweet. Lindsey Graham, ever the loyalist and occasional jokester, decided to lean into the chaos.
The Lindsey Graham Tweet Trump Pope Timeline
Let's look at what actually happened on April 29, 2025. Trump had just finished musing about the Papacy. Most people took it as a classic Trumpian quip, the kind of "I'm the best at everything" humor his supporters love and his critics find exhausting. But Graham's response on X turned a funny headline into a viral firestorm.
"I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope," Graham wrote. He didn't stop there. He called Trump a "dark horse candidate" and urged the papal conclave and the "Catholic faithful" to "keep an open mind."
He even ended the post with: "Watching for white smoke... Trump MMXXVIII!"
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The internet, predictably, lost its mind. Some people were convinced Graham had finally gone off the deep end. Others saw it as a clever bit of trolling aimed at a media cycle that takes everything too seriously. But for a lot of Catholics, the joke landed with a heavy thud.
Why This Hit Different for Catholics
The timing was a huge part of the problem. Pope Francis had died just a week prior at age 88. In the Catholic tradition, the "Sede Vacante"—the period when the Holy See is vacant—is a time of intense prayer and solemnity. It’s not exactly the time most people want to see a U.S. Senator joking about a "President-Pope" hybrid.
Wait, isn't Graham a Southern Baptist? He is. And that's why some felt he was stepping into a room where he didn't belong. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who Trump actually did mention as a serious candidate he liked, had just led a funeral mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The contrast between the dignity of that service and a tweet about "white smoke" for a 2028 presidential candidate was... jarring.
Honestly, the backlash was swift. Representative Malcolm Kenyatta was one of the many voices who didn't find the humor. He posted a pretty biting response asking if a "rescue party" was needed for Graham. Even celebrities like Henry Winkler weighed in. It became one of those moments where the political divide in America was perfectly distilled into a single social media thread.
The History of the Trump-Vatican Feud
To understand why a Lindsey Graham tweet Trump Pope mention carries so much baggage, you have to go back to 2016. Things between Trump and Pope Francis were never exactly "warm."
Back then, the Pope famously remarked that anyone who thinks only of building walls and not bridges is "not Christian." Trump called the comment "disgraceful." He even suggested the Mexican government was using the Pope as a "pawn."
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Fast forward nearly a decade. The relationship had thawed slightly—Trump and the Pope did meet at the Vatican in 2017—but the ideological gap remained. By 2025, with the world watching to see if the next Pope would be more conservative or continue Francis’s progressive streak, Graham’s tweet felt like he was dropping a match into a powder keg.
What Graham was actually trying to do
If you've followed Lindsey Graham's career, you know he's a master of the "pivot." He went from being one of Trump's harshest critics in 2016 (he once called him a "race-baiting, xenophobic bigot") to one of his most staunch defenders.
By tweeting about Trump for Pope, Graham was doing two things:
- Signaling total loyalty to Trump’s "brand" of humor.
- Promoting the "Trump 2028" (MMXXVIII) idea, which is its own legal and constitutional nightmare.
It was a classic "distraction" play. While the news was focusing on the gravity of the papal conclave, Graham shifted the spotlight back to the MAGA movement.
The "Trump 2028" Twist
The most overlooked part of that tweet wasn't the Pope joke. It was the Roman numerals at the end. Trump MMXXVIII. By 2025, the conversation around the 22nd Amendment—which limits presidents to two terms—was already heating up among some of Trump’s base. Graham using that specific year in a tweet about the Papacy (where leaders serve for life) was a very unsubtle nod to the idea of Trump staying in power longer than the law currently allows.
It's kind of wild when you think about it. A sitting U.S. Senator jokingly suggesting a candidate for the Papacy while simultaneously hinting at a third term for a president. It’s a lot to process.
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Real-World Impact: Does It Matter?
In the grand scheme of things, did the Lindsey Graham tweet Trump Pope change anything? Probably not the outcome of the Conclave. The 133 Cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel weren't checking their X feeds for recommendations from South Carolina.
But it did deepen the rift between the religious right and more traditional Catholics. For many "Vatican II" Catholics, the idea of their faith being used as a punchline for a political stunt was the final straw. For the MAGA faithful, it was just another day of "owning the libs" and showing that no institution is off-limits for a bit of populist ribbing.
Actionable Insights: Navigating the Noise
If you find yourself caught in the middle of these viral political/religious crossovers, here is how to keep your sanity:
- Check the Context: Most of these "outrage" tweets are designed to provoke a reaction. Graham knew exactly what he was doing.
- Understand the Irony: Political "jokes" often mask serious trial balloons. The "Trump 2028" part of the tweet was arguably more significant than the Pope part.
- Separate Faith from Fandom: For those who felt offended, it’s a reminder that political figures often use religious imagery to shore up their own "chosen" status among voters.
- Follow Local Sources: If you want real news on the Papacy, check Vatican News or the National Catholic Reporter. If you want political theater, check X.
Ultimately, the Graham tweet was a symptom of a larger trend where nothing is sacred and everything is a campaign opportunity. Whether you found it funny or offensive, it certainly succeeded in its main goal: making sure we were all talking about Lindsey Graham and Donald Trump on a day that was supposed to be about the future of the Catholic Church.
If you are following the 2028 election cycle or the aftermath of the recent Conclave, keep a close eye on Graham’s social media. He has a knack for being the barometer of where the Trump-aligned wing of the GOP is heading next—even if he has to use a bit of incense and "white smoke" to get there.
Next Steps to Stay Informed:
To get a better handle on the actual relationship between the U.S. government and the Holy See, look up the history of the Office of Religion and Global Affairs. Understanding the formal diplomatic channels will help you distinguish between real policy and the kind of social media performance art we saw with the Graham tweet.