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Crowds line up to see Pope Francis on last day of public viewing

On the last day of public viewing ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral, tens of thousands of people lined up to see him.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were headed to Rome on Friday, April 25 where they will be among dozens of world leaders attending Pope Francis’ funeral before the couple heads home to New Jersey.

The Trumps are staying at the Villa Taverna, the residence of the American ambassador, ahead of the funeral Mass. Among the long list of dignitaries and heads of state attending the traditional Catholic Church service are former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden — marking the first time the Bidens and the Trumps will see one another since the Jan. 20 inauguration.

The funeral happens to coincide with Melania Trump’s birthday, with the Trumps planning to head to their New Jersey golf club to round out the weekend. Here’s what we know about President Donald Trump’s busy weekend.

When is the pope’s funeral 2025?

Pope Francis’ funeral is set to begin at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) on Saturday, April 26. More than 200,000 people are expected to be in St. Peter’s Square, the large plaza in front of the basilica in Vatican City in Rome.

When will Trump be in NJ?

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will depart the Fiumicino ‘Leonardo da Vinci’ International Airport, the largest in Rome, around 1:30 p.m. local time (7:30 a.m. ET) on Saturday, April 26. They are expected to arrive at Newark Liberty around 5:10 p.m. ET and head to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster shortly after.

The president and first lady will spend Sunday, April 27 at their New Jersey home, and are expected to head back to the White House just before 5:30 p.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued temporary flight restrictions around Newark Liberty and Teterboro airports for the president’s Air Force One arrival and departure.

Where is Trump National Golf Club Bedminster? Here’s a map of Trump’s NJ home

Bedminster is in Somerset County in Central Jersey, roughly 40 miles west of Trump Tower in Manhattan. The township is 27 square miles and had a population of just over 8,100 in 2023, according to U.S. Census data.

How old is Melania Trump? When is Melania’s birthday?

First Lady Melania Trump was born on April 26, 1970. She will be 55 on Saturday. It is unclear how or if she will celebrate her birthday; Trump will spend a majority of the day in Rome to attend the pope’s funeral, and she and the president are not expected to arrive at their New Jersey home until the evening.

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.

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