A professional lip reader claims to have uncovered what Donald Trump said to Melania during Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City on Friday (April 26).
The U.S. President and First Lady were among thousands of mourners, including world leaders like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica to honor the late pope, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
Ahead of the funeral service, Trump and Zelenskyy reportedly had a brief, informal meeting; the first time the two had been face-to-face since their heated exchange at the White House in February.
As the service got underway, Trump stood out sharply among the largely black-clad crowd, wearing a bold blue suit. Melania, a practicing Roman Catholic, wore a traditional black blazer and pencil skirt, complemented by a dark lace veil.
Although there were initial suggestions the Trumps might be seated toward the back, live TV coverage showed them placed prominently among the dignitaries.
At one point, cameras captured a short exchange between the couple as the congregation stood midway through the two-hour service. Nicola Hickling, a self-described forensic lip reader from Lip Reader Limited, told the Express that she believes she deciphered Trump’s words: “I’ll go over and speak to him.”
It’s unclear exactly who Trump was referring to, but Hickling noted that Melania appeared to respond with a brief “side-eye” glance, without verbally replying.
Trump, who was raised Presbyterian but later identified as a non-denominational Christian, has long courted Catholic voters. Speaking to Fox News about his attendance at the funeral, Trump said: “I just thought it was out of respect. I won the Catholic vote — by a lot — and I think that’s the first time a Republican ever did. I have a great relationship with Catholics. Very simple.”
He added, “We did well with the Catholic vote — I got 56% — and honestly, I don’t know how they got any of the rest.”
Melania’s Catholic faith has been a significant part of her public image; she was the first Catholic First Lady to live in the White House since Jacqueline Kennedy. In 2017, after meeting Pope Francis during an official visit to the Vatican, Melania described the experience as unforgettable, even bringing rosary beads to be blessed by the pontiff.
Gotta love the honesty on Air Force One. The reason Trump is attending Pope Francis’ funeral is because he won a slight majority of Catholic votes last election. He’s surprised he didn’t win a greater majority. pic.twitter.com/zXMoOmuc6x