‘Wow!’ Applause Erupts Seconds After Trump Enters Pope Francis Funeral Mass — But CNN Says It’s For Another World Leader
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper noted an eruption of applause not long after President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump made their entrance to the funeral of Pope Francis — but pointed out it occurred when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared on monitors.
The 88-year-old Pope passed away Monday, and his funeral was held on Saturday at 10 AM Vatican time, six hours ahead of Eastern time.
Anderson Cooper anchored CNN’s live coverage of The Funeral of Pope Francis, along with correspondents Clarissa Ward and Christopher Lamb.
About 40 seconds after the Trumps arrived, and seconds after noting the silence of the crowd, the trio were stunned by an eruption of applause — which Cooper chalked up to Zelensky’s appearance on a Jumbotron:
ANDERSON COOPER: A number of places around the world as well. This was a pope who reached out to so many, so many different people.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB: Particularly indigenous groups in the Amazon and of course went to Canada and apologized to indigenous who have been abused in residential schools there.
ANDERSON COOPER: I don’t know that I have been in a grouping of hundreds, so many people that is so silent.
CLARISSA WARD: So silent, so orderly, everyone waiting, any moment now.
ANDERSON COOPER: President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, as well. They were inside the Basilica. Now it looks like they are heading to their seats as well, as the funeral mass for Pope Francis is about to begin shortly. We’re told that world leaders are to be seated alphabetically based on French.
CLARISSA WARD: Based on French.
ANDERSON COOPER: The French spelling–
CLARISSA WARD: The French spelling, which means probably President Trump will not be sitting near President Zelensky as would have been the case if it was the English spelling.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB: And of course, it’s worth…
ANDERSON COOPER: And there’s President Zelensky.
CLARISSA WARD: There is President Zelensky. Wow!
CHRISTOPHER LAMB: Wow!
ANDERSON COOPER: His image has been shown on a monitor in, and that’s why you hear people actually applauding now. They’re applauding President Zelensky when he appeared on some of the jumbotrons.
Most of the people who are here in St. Peter’s Square who are standing in the crowd can’t actually see President Zelentsky, but there’s a number of jumbrotrons positioned throughout the square, and that’s what that applause was.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB: And at a certain point, everyone would be asked to make a sign of peace, including the world leaders. So–
Watch above via CNN’s live coverage of The Funeral of Pope Francis.
