'Pope Trump' Talks, US President's Joke Triggers Criticism: 'Sense Of Entitlement'

The death of Pope Francis has raised conversation on who should be the next pontiff, and on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump joked that he would like to be Francis's successor. But as if the president's joke wasn't enough, Sen. Lindsey Graham added fuel to the fire.

Discussions around the world are on regarding the next pontiff, and for those who take religion seriously, Trump and Graham's jokes may have crossed the line.

Trump Jokes He's Open To Succeeding Pope Francis

Speaking with reporters Tuesday at the White House, Trump was asked who he thinks should be the next pontiff. "I'd like to be pope. That would be my No. 1 choice," he said jokingly.

He went on to say the United States has a cardinal "that happens to be out of a place called New York who's very good, so we'll see what happens."

It appears Trump was referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York. However, he is currently not on the shortlists of possible contenders to become the next Vatican leader.

Graham Calls Trump a 'Dark Horse' for Pope Contenders

As news of Trump's joke spread across X, Republican Sen. Graham took to the social media platform to share his thoughts on the matter.

"I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope," saying the GOP leader would be a "dark horse candidate."

He jokingly added that the papal conclave and faithful Catholics should "keep an open mind about this possibility."

X Users Take Issue With 'Pope Trump' Jokes

X users have flooded Graham's comments section with criticism, calling out the South Carolina senator for not taking the matter seriously.

The official handle of the group, Republicans against Trump, was among many well-followed X accounts that took issue with the joke.

"Your post might be a joke, but the GOP's failures are deadly serious," said one user.

"He doesn't qualify," another user said, pointing out that the U.S. president has been married three times and has had "zero annulments for starters."

Canon law allows any unmarried male Catholic to be eligible for the pontiff position, but traditionally, only cardinals have been elected into the role.

One X user said he expects Trump and Graham to use the "it's just a joke" defense amid growing backlash. "Trump isn't 'trolling,' he's testing boundaries, normalizing fascist rhetoric under the guise of humor until his cult eats it up and its policy," the user wrote.

Many were frustrated over the "disturbing" notion of having Trump lead the Catholic faith. Others called out the senator for supposedly feeling entitled to be "offensive" during a sensitive time for Catholics.

Who Are Actually In The Running To Succeed Pope Francis?

Among the names that have popped up across shortlists for possible candidates is Pietro Parolin, known for his diplomatic ventures as a representative of the Vatican. Parolin is a strong contender, given his secretary of state status at the Vatican for nearly the entirety of Pope Francis's pontificate.

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is also a popular name, having been dubbed as the "Asian Francis." If he is elected during the secret conclave to choose the next pope, he will make history as the first pope from Asia.

Originally published on IBTimes