An awkward moment unfolded at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday as Melania Trump had to prompt her husband, President Donald Trump, to follow Catholic protocol for the ceremony.
The first lady’s urging also helped ensure that her husband didn’t snub French President Emmanuel out of a handshake.
During the Sign of Peace portion of the late pontiff’s Saturday funeral mass, when the mourners were supposed to shake each other’s hands, Trump initially neglected to participate.
That is, until Melania whispered something in his ear.
A forensic lip reader, Nicola Hickling, told The Daily Mail that she twice said to the president, “You should do it.”
“Oh, alright,” Trump replied, before extending his hand to Macron.
A firm handshake then ensued between the two world leaders. However, it was a far cry from the protracted tugs-of-war that have occurred when Trump and Macron have greeted each other in the past.
The handshake battles have become a staple of the two men’s meetings, dating back to Trump’s first term and recurring as recently as February.
The funeral service for Francis, 88, who died from a stroke last week, happened to fall on Melania’s 55th birthday. In addition to the awkward moment, the service also featured a brief instance of a lighthearted connection between the couple.
At one point during the ceremony, Trump whispered a few words in his wife’s ear, eliciting a rare smile from the otherwise impassive first lady.
The president’s words earned a smile from the first lady. / Dylan Martinez / REUTERS
The couple was seated in the front row for the service in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Melania wore a fittingly somber all-black outfit—a blazer dress, gloves, and a lace veil. The president’s blue suit, meanwhile, sparked criticism that he was breaking the funeral’s dress code.
Other than the moment of levity with her husband, the first lady’s birthday was a somber affair as she mourned the death of Pope Francis, who had been an outspoken critic of her husband’s mass deportation efforts.
The two men’s disagreement seemed to earn a call-out during Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s homily during the mass.
“Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice, imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions,” the cardinal said. “‘Build bridges, not walls,’ was an exhortation he repeated many times.”
The two had shared another tender moment on Friday as they strolled across the White House lawn to board Air Force One and jet off to Italy. The president slung his arm around his wife’s waist—a rare physical showing of affection for the couple.
Trump told reporters that they would celebrate Melania’s birthday with dinner aboard Air Force One. / Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
As Trump spoke to reporters en route to the Vatican on Friday, he suggested that he and his wife had resolved to hold an understated private celebration of her birthday.
“I’ll take her for dinner on the—on the Boeing,” the president said. “I’ll take her for dinner on Air Force One.”
“I haven’t had much time to buy presents,” he added. “I’ve been pretty busy. But it’s working out. Things are working out very well, and people are starting to understand how good tariffs are for us.”
