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Donald Trump and the Pope: Memes, funny videos win the internet

THE internet is having a field day over the first meeting between Donald Trump and Pope Francis. Cue memes and social media galore.

Debra Killalea and AP
less than 2 min read
May 25, 2017 - 4:10PM
ITALY: Donald Trump Meets Pope Francis During Vatican Visit May 24

TWO of the world’s most powerful men met for the first time. And the internet loved every second of the 28-minute meeting between Donald Trump and Pope Francis.

Pictures of a smiling US President and a solemn looking pontiff quickly captured the attention of Twitter users with memes and videos all pointing out the Pope’s apparent unhappy look.

Others highlighted how the Pope appeared happier during his meeting with former President Barack Obama.

Mr Trump called the meeting “great” and “fantastic” and tweeted that it was an honour of a lifetime to meet His Holiness Pope Francis.

When asked about his assessment of the Pope Mr Trump told reporters: “He is something.”

In a statement the Vatican described the meeting between the two as “cordial” adding, the Pope hoped to collaborate with the administration on “healthcare, education and assistance to immigrants”, The Economist reported.

The two leaders have previously expressed opposing views on issues including migration and climate change.

The meeting between Pope Francis and Donald Trump took place in a private audience at the Vatican. Picture: Alessandra Tarantino/AFP
The meeting between Pope Francis and Donald Trump took place in a private audience at the Vatican. Picture: Alessandra Tarantino/AFP

Pope Francis has also been critical of the Trump administration’s policies and in February last year called the idea to build a wall between the US and Mexico as “not Christian”.

Mr Trump referred to the Pope as “disgraceful” following the comments.

But the two leaders appeared to put that aside during their meeting on Wednesday.

The Vatican described the meeting between the two med as cordial. Picture: L'Osservatore Romano/AP
The Vatican described the meeting between the two med as cordial. Picture: L'Osservatore Romano/AP

The pair talked seriously and extensively in a 30-minute private meeting about terrorism, the radicalisation of young people, immigration and climate change, officials said.

Pope Francis gave Mr Trump a medal featuring an olive branch while the President gave him a custom-bound, first-edition set of Martin Luther King Jr’s works, an engraved stone from the King Memorial in Washington and a bronze sculpture of a flowering lotus titled Rising Above.

First lady Melania Trump also met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP
First lady Melania Trump also met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

The Pope also gave Mr Trump three bound papal documents he wrote that reveals his papacy and priorities.

One focused on the environment, demanding an end to a “structurally perverse” economic system that has turned Earth into an “immense pile of filth.”

The Pope framed climate change as an urgent moral crisis and blamed global warming on an unfair, fossil fuel-based industrial model that harms the poor the most.

debra.killalea@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/donald-trump-and-the-pope-memes-funny-videos-win-the-internet/news-story/436aef016fb94c9de49d49f74ce1a8e7