In a twist that has both amused and outraged the liberal media, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) made headlines Tuesday by encouraging the Catholic Church to keep an “open mind” about one very unexpected contender for pope: President Donald J. Trump.

The South Carolina senator, never one to shy away from a bold idea, took to X (formerly Twitter) to support the notion after President Trump joked with a reporter about succeeding Pope Francis, who recently passed away at age 88.

“I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope,” Graham wrote. “This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility! The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII!”

As expected, the liberal commentariat instantly melted down. But for millions of Americans who have long recognized Trump as a once-in-a-generation leader, the idea, while clearly tongue-in-cheek, speaks to something deeper: a yearning for a moral leader with backbone — something the Vatican hasn’t exactly been known for under Pope Francis’ progressive reign.

Trump, for his part, played the moment with characteristic flair. Asked by a reporter if he had anyone in mind for the next pope, he replied, “I’d like to be pope. That’d be my number one choice.”

He later added that he had “no preference” on the matter, but name-dropped Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the conservative-leaning Archbishop of New York, as “very good,” praising his leadership. “We’ll see what happens,” Trump said with a grin.

Despite what the media elites want you to believe, the U.S. has never produced a pope — but there’s no rule saying it can’t. In fact, **any baptized Catholic man** is eligible, provided he’s ordained before the election. That’s a long shot for Trump, who identifies as a non-denominational Christian after being raised Presbyterian. But then again, **everything about Trump’s political rise was a long shot** — until it wasn’t.

The late Pope Francis, the Church’s first pontiff from the Americas, was elected after just five rounds of voting in 2013. The upcoming conclave begins May 7, where roughly 120 Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel to begin the highly secretive selection process. The odds are long, but as any political observer knows: when Trump is in the conversation, anything is possible.

While the Church continues to grapple with sagging influence, theological confusion, and a shrinking flock in the West, many conservatives can’t help but smile at the idea of a man like Trump at the helm — a defender of life, religious liberty, and unapologetic common sense.

Would Trump ever don the papal miter? Probably not. But the mere mention of “Pope Trump” was enough to send shockwaves through a system that’s grown far too comfortable with moral ambiguity and leftist pandering.

As Senator Graham quipped, “Watching for white smoke…” And somewhere in America, millions of patriots probably are too — if only to see the meltdown.