Trump Orders Flags at Half-Staff to Honor Pope Francis

In a solemn and unifying gesture, President Donald Trump ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff in memory of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. The executive order, issued Monday morning, directs flags at federal buildings, military posts, and embassies around the world to remain lowered until the day of the Pope’s interment.

“He was a good man, worked hard. He loved the world,” Trump said during brief remarks at the White House Easter Egg Roll shortly after signing the order.

The announcement comes despite a historically rocky relationship between the late pontiff and President Trump, especially on matters of immigration and sovereignty. Pope Francis had criticized Trump’s plans for mass deportations earlier this year, suggesting that deporting illegal immigrants was incompatible with a “rightly formed conscience.”

But Trump made it clear that personal or political differences weren’t going to get in the way of respecting the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

• Trump’s executive order states the flags shall be flown at half-staff across all U.S. territories, embassies, and military installations, both domestic and abroad.

• Vice President JD Vance, a practicing Catholic, had met briefly with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday in Rome and also issued a heartfelt tribute.

• This is the first time in U.S. history a president has issued such an order upon the death of a sitting Pope.

Though Pope Francis often clashed with conservative leaders, his death still marks the end of a significant chapter in global religious life. And Trump, never one to hold back on policy, demonstrated a statesmanlike willingness to honor the spiritual significance of the moment.

Vice President Vance emphasized the administration’s ongoing support for the Catholic community, referencing the surge in anti-Christian vandalism and arson following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. During a February speech at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Vance declared Trump to be “an incredibly good president for Catholics in the United States of America.”

Border czar Tom Homan, a Catholic himself, pushed back earlier this year on Francis’ criticisms of Trump’s immigration agenda, stating that the Pope should “focus on the church” rather than attempt to dictate U.S. border policy.

Still, Trump’s respectful recognition of Francis' passing shows a broader understanding of the spiritual impact the Pope had on millions even when the two men didn’t see eye to eye.

In a time when partisan politics dominates every headline, this act of respect underscores Trump's commitment to the values of faith, tradition, and honoring figures of global influence, even when the world watches for division.

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