Who is Raymond Burke, the cardinal Donald Trump wants to be the next Pope

Cardinal Raymond Burke, 76, is a highly conservative cleric who has clashed repeatedly with Pope Francis over most of the main issues facing the Catholic church. Burke, from Wisconsin, has taken a consistently hard line against softening the church’s policy towards LGBTQ people, divorce, or the role of women in the church.

Burke is also a supporter of Trump. In 2016, when Pope Francis was criticising the president’s plans to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico, Burke offered his support for the Republican, saying he was “defending the values of the church”.

And now it seems Trump, serving his second term as President, is keen to see Burke installed in the Vatican as the new Pope.

The current pontiff, Francis, 88, is seriously ill, battling pneumonia and suffering from multiple respiratory crises.

If the worst were to happen, triggering the procedure to elect a new Pope, Burke will likely be one of those in the running. The bookmakers currently have him as sixth favorite to take over at the Vatican after Pope Francis.

Francis and Burke falling out

Burke, who was Archbishop of St. Louis, was called to Rome by the then Pope, Benedict XVI, himself a hardliner. The American was named as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura - the church’s highest court, and made a Cardinal two years later.

When Francis was appointed Pope in 2013, he took Burke off the Congregation of Bishops, the body that helps the Pope select new bishops.

Burke then started criticizing Francis, saying: “One gets the impression, or it’s interpreted this way in the media, that he thinks we’re talking too much about abortion, too much about the integrity of marriage as between one man and one woman. But we can never talk enough about that.”

Burke continued to speak out, attacking the Vatican’s move towards a more relaxed approach to homosexuality. Pope Francis sacked Burke from the Supreme Tribunal, although he said it had been previously planned and he wasn’t punishing the American.

The clashes between the two continued, until in 2023 a meeting of Vatican department heads took the decision to remove his his rent- free apartment in Rome and his €5,000 monthly salary, though it was framed as a reassignment of privileges rather than punishment.

Burke said at the time that while he thought it was clear “the pope doesn’t want me in any leadership position,” he had “never had the impression that he thinks I’m his enemy.”

Since losing his flat, Cardinal Burke has stayed in Rome.

Procedure to elect the new Pope

Burke is one of several contenders to replace Pope Francis if his illness proves fatal.

If Pope Francis dies, the 138 cardinals under 80 will gather in a conclave to elect his successor. They are locked inside for two to three weeks to choose the new pope with voting continuing until one candidate secures two-thirds support, at which point the white smoke is released from the chapel’s chimney.

The other leading candidates in addition to Burke are:

Pietro Parolin (70, Italy) – Vatican secretary of state since 2013 and a moderate, balancing between Francis’ liberalism and Burke’s conservatism.

Peter Erdö (72, Hungary) – A staunch conservative, he opposes refugee acceptance and same-sex unions. Expected to split the traditionalist vote with Burke.

Luis Antonio Tagle (67, Philippines) – A liberal and the youngest frontrunner. Would be the first Asian pope and is closely aligned with Francis’ progressive views on social issues.

Matteo Zuppi (69, Italy) – Seen as the candidate most in line with Francis. Involved in diplomatic missions and supportive of LGBTQ Catholics, he is considered one of the pope’s favorites.

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