Donald Trump’s tribute to the late Pope Francis was, as expected, anything but traditional — and the internet had a lot to say about it. On April 21, news of Pope Francis’s death sent waves of grief across the world.

Leaders from every continent issued statements of mourning, and among them was former U.S. President Donald Trump. His message, shared via Truth Social, began in familiar fashion:

“Rest in peace Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!” He also called for flags across the U.S. to be flown at half-staff in honor of the pontiff’s memory.

However, it wasn’t the condolence post that made headlines — it was Trump’s tone when he announced that he and Melania would attend the funeral. In his characteristically upbeat style, he wrote:

“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”

What followed was a firestorm of reactions. Critics and commentators on X (formerly Twitter) didn’t hold back. “We look forward to being there” struck many as oddly chipper — more fitting for a garden party or a gala than a papal funeral. “Bold choice of words for a funeral,”

one user remarked, while another joked, “He thinks he’s headed to Coachella, not Vatican City.” Sarcasm flowed freely.