The images started hitting social media feeds almost before the incense had cleared from the air in St. Peter’s Square. It was April 2025. Thousands had gathered in Vatican City for a somber, once-in-a-generation event: the funeral of Pope Francis. But while the world was focused on the passing of the "People’s Pope," a different kind of firestorm was brewing on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
People were losing their minds over a few frames of footage.
There he was. President Donald Trump, seated in the very front row next to First Lady Melania Trump, with his chin slightly dipped and his eyes shut tight. Within minutes, the narrative was set. The "Trump sleeping at pope funeral" meme was born. Critics were quick to jump, contrasting the moment with his "Sleepy Joe" nicknames for his rival. But like everything involving Trump and the Vatican, the truth is way more cluttered than a ten-second viral clip suggests.
The Viral Moment vs. Reality
Honestly, if you look at the photos out of context, it’s easy to see why the "dozing off" theory took flight. The funeral was long. It was early. Trump and Melania had reportedly arrived at their seats around 4:00 AM ET to beat the logistical nightmare of 250,000 mourners flooding Rome.
The ceremony itself is a marathon of Latin liturgy and Gregorian chants. It’s designed to be hypnotic.
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But was he actually catching some Zs?
The Trump administration and his supporters were quick to push back. They pointed to other photos from the same hour showing him alert, talking to Estonian President Alar Karis and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb. There’s also the "prayer" defense—the idea that a 78-year-old man closing his eyes during a Catholic Requiem Mass might just be, you know, praying. Or at least trying to look like it.
The footage showed him with eyes closed for several seconds during the more meditative parts of the service. Was it a micro-nap? Maybe. Was it a "disgraceful act" as some headlines screamed? That depends entirely on which side of the political aisle you’re sitting on.
The Blue Suit Scandal
If the sleeping rumors weren't enough, the internet found something else to obsess over: the suit.
Vatican protocol is pretty old-school. For a papal funeral, the "request" (which is basically a demand in the world of diplomacy) is for a dark black suit, a black tie, and a black button on the left lapel.
Trump showed up in navy blue.
Social media erupted. People called it a "sign of disrespect" and "tone-deaf." Fortune even ran a piece highlighting that the Vatican had asked for black and Trump went his own way. But here’s the thing—he wasn’t the only one. Prince William was also spotted in a blue suit. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, true to his wartime brand, wore black military-style tactical gear instead of a formal suit.
Even Joe Biden, who was seated about four rows behind Trump due to the French alphabetical seating arrangement (États-Unis vs Italie), was wearing a suit that many observers argued looked more midnight blue than true black in the harsh Roman sunlight.
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Why the Seating Mattered
A lot of people asked why Trump was in the front row while other leaders were tucked further back. It wasn't about favoritism; it was about the "E."
The Vatican follows a strict protocol where official delegations are seated according to the French name of their country. Since the U.S. is États-Unis, Trump was positioned near the front, alongside Spain (Espagne) and Estonia (Estonie).
He was sandwiched between Alar Karis and King Felipe VI of Spain. Being in that front-row spot meant every blink, every head tilt, and every adjustment of his blue tie was caught by the global broadcast pool.
Key Figures Seated Near Trump:
- Melania Trump: Seated directly to his left, wearing the traditional black veil (mantilla).
- Alar Karis: President of Estonia, who later shared photos of himself shaking Trump’s hand.
- King Felipe VI & Queen Letizia: Representing Spain, one of the most prominent Catholic nations.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Seated just an aisle away. This was their first meeting since a very heated exchange in the Oval Office just two months prior.
The Zelenskyy Connection
What most people missed while they were arguing about whether Trump’s eyelids were heavy was the diplomatic heavy lifting happening behind the scenes. Before the funeral even started, Trump and Zelenskyy had a private one-on-one meeting inside the Vatican.
This was a big deal.
They hadn't spoken face-to-face since February 2025, when things got incredibly tense over U.S. aid and "Secondary Sanctions" on Russia. Trump actually posted on Truth Social later that day, mentioning that he told Zelenskyy it was "too many people dying" and that Putin needed to be dealt with through more aggressive banking restrictions.
So, while the "sleeping" narrative dominated the morning talk shows, the actual news was a potential shift in U.S.-Ukraine relations happening just yards away from the Pope's coffin.
A Legacy of "Sleeping" Allegations
Trump isn't the first—and won't be the last—politician to be accused of napping during a somber event.
- Joe Biden was famously accused of dozing off during the COP26 climate summit.
- Barack Obama was caught in a "meditative" pose that looked a lot like a nap during a 2011 speech.
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously admitted she wasn't "100% sober" when she fell asleep during a State of the Union address.
The reality is that these events are exhausting. For a guy like Trump, who was balancing a return to the presidency with a high-stakes meeting with Zelenskyy and the jet lag of a trans-Atlantic flight, a few seconds of closed eyes was almost inevitable.
Actionable Insights: How to Spot Fact vs. Fiction
When a viral moment like "Trump sleeping at pope funeral" hits your feed, it’s easy to get swept up. Here is how to actually verify what you’re seeing:
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- Check the Source Material: Is it a still photo or a video? A still photo can catch anyone looking like they’re sleeping if they just blink. Look for the full video clip to see if there’s movement or if they’re actually out cold.
- Look for Multiple Angles: During the 2025 funeral, different cameras showed Trump looking completely alert at the exact same time a different angle made him look asleep. Lighting and head tilt change everything.
- Contextualize Protocol: The "blue suit" controversy was technically a breach of protocol, but it’s a breach that happens at almost every major funeral when non-Catholic world leaders attend. It’s rarely a "statement" and usually just a wardrobe choice.
- Verify the Seating: If someone claims a leader was "snubbed" with a back-row seat, check the language. At the Vatican, if your country starts with a letter late in the French alphabet, you’re in the back. Simple as that.
The 2025 funeral of Pope Francis was a massive historical pivot point. Whether Trump actually nodded off for a second or was just deep in thought, the event marked a rare moment of global pause—even if the internet used that pause to start another argument.
Next Steps for Verifying Viral Political News:
To get the full picture of any international incident, compare the official White House or State Department transcripts with the local coverage from the host country (in this case, Vatican News or L'Osservatore Romano). This helps strip away the partisan framing found in domestic U.S. media.