On Friday, US President Donald Trump arrived in Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, marking an unexpected first foreign trip of his second term, where he will engage with numerous world leaders. Accompanied by his wife Melania, Trump has had a strained relationship with the late pontiff, who openly criticized his controversial policy of mass deportations of migrants. Nevertheless, Trump will take a prominent role in a significant diplomatic event on Saturday, which will see around 50 heads of state, including 10 reigning monarchs, gather at the Vatican. Although no formal meetings have been scheduled for Trump during his brief half-day visit, it is noteworthy that he previously made a short trip to France after his election but prior to his inauguration for the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral, where he met with Macron and Zelensky. Initially, Trump’s first foreign trip was intended to be to the oil-rich Gulf Arab states, where he aims to explore business opportunities and encourage closer relations with Israel, with planned visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates starting May 13.
