Trump honors Pope Francis, saying “may God bless him and all who loved him”
Washington — President Trump honored Pope Francis after the Vatican announced Monday morning that the pontiff died at the age of 88.
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” Mr. Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social.
At the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, Mr. Trump called Pope Francis “a very good man who loved, loved the world, and he especially loved people that were having a hard time, and that’s good with me.”
The president also issued a proclamation ordering flags at the White House and federal and military facilities in the U.S. and abroad to be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of interment.
Vice President JD Vance, who met with Francis at the Vatican on Easter Sunday, said on social media, “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.
“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful,” Vance wrote.
The White House posted photos of Mr. Trump and first lady Melania Trump when they met Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2017, during the president’s first term, along with an image of Vance and the pontiff from their meeting Sunday.
Vatican Pool / Getty Images 
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced Francis’ death in a statement, saying he died at 7:35 a.m. local time.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized,” the cardinal’s statement said.
Francis led the world’s roughly 1.3 billion Roman Catholics since 2013. His death came nearly a month after he was released from a hospital in Rome, where he received treatment for a respiratory infection that turned into double pneumonia.
The pontiff made a brief appearance on Easter Sunday to bless thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, telling those assembled, “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!”
Following news of his death, tributes from world leaders have poured in across Monday morning, including from former President Joe Biden, who called Francis “one of the most consequential leaders of our time.”