By Olivier Acuña Barba •
Printed: 26 Apr 2025 • 16:35
• 2 minutes learn
Donald Trump, who criticised the Ukrainian president for exhibiting up in army apparel to a White Home assembly and who permits Elon Musk in a t-shirt contained in the Oval Workplace, was slammed Saturday as disrespectful for breaking gown code at Pope Francis’ funeral.
The US president arrived on the funeral on the Vatican sporting a blue swimsuit and blue tie, opposite to strict gown etiquette dictated by the Holy See, which requires males to put on a darkish swimsuit, an extended black tie, and a white shirt. Footwear, socks, coats, and umbrellas, in keeping with the Vatican’s gown code, must be black.
On April twenty third, the Italian information outlet Il Messaggero printed the strict gown code for Pope Francis’ funeral, as mandated by the Vatican. “For males, a darkish swimsuit with an extended black tie and a button of the identical coloration on the left lapel of the jacket, the place solely Vatican honors might be positioned,” it wrote. “For girls, a black gown, ideally lengthy, of the identical coloration as gloves and veil on the pinnacle, with the one allowed decoration being a string of pearls.”
Vatican’s gown code for the Pope’s funerals
The Messageri added: “These are the prescriptions for these attending the Pope’s funeral, in keeping with well-established protocol manuals that additionally outline the seating association for dignitaries and heads of state.” This rule was additionally damaged because the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was sitting subsequent to Trump.
Zelensky and former President Joe Biden broke the strict etiquette. The previous wore no tie, whereas the latter wore a blue tie. Trump, Zelensky, and Biden had been accused of being disrespectful as the remainder of the world leaders dressed all in black.
Trump wore a pin on his swimsuit jacket displaying the US flag, which additionally contravenes the Vatican’s guidelines for the Pope’s funerals. Zelensky wore an all-black combat-type coat over a black shirt and trousers.
Trump stands proud ‘like a sore thumb’
In line with the Each day Mail, Trump “was blasted by onlookers at present as they mentioned he caught out ‘like a sore thumb’ from different leaders.” The information outlet added: “One, Alison Graham, slammed the US premier, saying: ‘Why is Trump the one male world chief who’s sporting a blue swimsuit? Has he no sense of appropriacy? Disgrace on him.”
The gown code row on the Vatican comes simply two months after the White Home criticised Zelensky as disrespectful. Some information reviews mentioned Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance had been irritated by the Ukrainian’s traditional army apparel throughout his go to to the Oval Workplace.
The discontent over Zelensky’s go to to the White Home in army apparel regardless of being informed to put on a swimsuit appears contradictory since Elon Musk is ceaselessly seen within the Oval Workplace sporting a black t-shirt.
White Home’s double commonplace
London information outlet, The Customary, which questioned why Musk is allowed within the White Home in denims and a t-shirt, added: “Defying conference in his gown code was the newest anti-tradition transfer by the headline-grabbing Mr Musk, who final month introduced his son X to the Oval Workplace.”
“Musk shunned the swimsuit and tie, and appeared sporting all black with a Make America Nice Once more baseball cap,” wrote the BBC’s Nomia Iqbal.
The UK’s Unbiased information outlet wrote: “White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt dodged questions on Elon Musk’s outfit decisions when within the presence of President Donald Trump amid allegations of a double commonplace.”