The funeral of Pope Francis required male attendees to wear a “dark suit”. Some did not. One in particular drew flak for “breaking the dress code”

Papal funerals are, as to be expected, strict and solemn affairs, yet there are those for whom protocols pertaining to the solemn event means nothing. The men who attended the funeral of Pope Francis mostly wore black, but one stood out. According to those who were there and those watching online, Donald Trump definitely did not. He chose his usual suit of blue, a shade that, for the occasion, clearly looked a tad too bright, especially when the colour caught the glare of the late morning sun. According to The Independent, “The dress code for the funeral at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City required men to wear a dark suit with a black tie and a black button on the left lapel.” Mr Trump did ditch his usual red tie for one that is close in colour to his suit.

How “dark” should dark be? When asked about Mr Trump’s chromatic choice, The New York Times reported, White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said: “The president looked great and presidential alongside our stunning first lady, who was, as usual, dressed perfectly for the occasion.” Does one desire to “look great” by standing out in a funeral at St Peter’s Square, one marked by the gravity and importance of the event, as well as the respect and reverence due to the Pope’s office and the Catholic Church? And how many funerals has Melania Trump been attending for her to be dressed faultlessly “as usual” (she chose a black Dolce & Gabbana coat for this occasion)? It is possible that the American president did not think about the colour of his suit for the funeral, but it is likely he did choose the blue for the chance for him to not blend into the overwhelmingly black.

To be certain, others attendees did not wear black. Prince William was in navy, but he did wear a black tie. Some people interpreted Mr Trump’s blue suit as personal expression rather than not showing respect. But was there a need to choose a day that honoured the Pope to personally express a flair for colour? As usual, even when it was an event attended by other world leaders (both Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer were in black suits), the focus has to be on him. On an occasion where adherence to tradition is highly valued, a front-row seat was not enough—Donald Trump’s again demonstrated that he had be the center of attention. The president just wanted to be the man of the moment, never mind if the event was about someone else, dead or alive.

Photo: EPA