Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is catching hell from critics after suggesting that President Donald Trump could be the next pope.

Trump had jokingly floated the idea earlier in the day when asked who he’d like to see become the next pontiff after the death earlier this month of Pope Francis.

“I’d like to be pope,” Trump said. “That’d be my No. 1 choice.”

Graham then dialled it up a notch in a post on X saying he was “excited” to hear that Trump was open to the role.

“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!” wrote Graham, who is a Southern Baptist. “The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke…. Trump MMXXVIII!”

That last bit is the Roman numeral for 2028.

Graham was likely joking as well, but his critics weren’t ready to offer any grace on this one.

They fired back:

This is pathetic. Graham is so addicted to being "friends" with the president that he will utterly strip himself of anything resembling dignity or pride. What........

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