Trump pays his respects to a pope who publicly and pointedly disagreed with him over the years

ROME (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday paid his respects to Pope Francis, occupying a front-row seat in sunlit St. Peter's Square as more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attended the funeral of the Catholic Church leader who pointedly disagreed with the American on a variety of issues.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump were seated next to Estonian President Alar Karis and not far from French President Emmanuel Macron for the outdoor service on a cloudless morning.

Diplomacy also was on Trump's agenda during his eight-hour visit to Italy: Trump had a brief private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inside St. Peter's Basilica before the service. Photos showed them seated on chairs facing one another in a marbled room and hunched over.

After Trump was shown to his seat for the funeral, he was immediately followed out of the basilica by Zelenskyy, who was met with a burst of applause from the audience. It was their first face-to-face encounter since they argued during a heated Oval Office meeting in late February. Trump has been trying to broker an end to the war in Ukraine that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded.

Trump stood out at the funeral service in a dark blue suit and a lighter blue tie in a sea of mournful black attire. The first lady, who is Catholic, wore a black dress and veil. Trump considers himself a “nondenominational Christian.” The couple paid respects to the late pope in front of his wooden coffin.

During the service, the Trumps held hands at times and the president kissed his wife on the cheek during the Sign of Peace. They also visited with Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York while at the Vatican.

Trump told reporters on Friday as he flew to Rome that he was going to the funeral “out of respect” for Francis, who died Monday at age 88.

Francis sharply disagreed with Trump's approach on issues including immigration, the treatment of migrants and climate change. The Argentine pontiff and the American president sparred early in their relationship over immigration. In 2016, Francis, alluding to then-candidate Trump and his campaign slogan of "build the wall," called anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants “ not Christian.” Trump said the comment was “disgraceful.”

But after Francis' death, the Republican president praised him as a “good man” who “worked hard” and “loved the world.” Trump also described the pope as a “fantastic kind of guy.”

Seated a few rows back behind the Trumps at the funeral service were former Democratic President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, and his wife, Jill. When Trump was asked earlier if he would meet his predecessor while in Italy, he told reporters: “It’s not high on my list. It’s really not.”

Trump had spoken in recent days about holding multiple meetings with world leaders while in Rome but that did not appear to pan out during his brief visit. Trump arrived late Friday and was en route back to the United States immediately after the funeral.

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Associated Press journalist Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Former President Joe Biden, arrives for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump, second right, with first lady Melania Trump, right, French President Emmanuel Macron, front row left, with Brigitte Macron, left, and Finland's President Alexander Stubb, third left, attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump leave at the end of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Former President Joe Biden, center, and his wife Jill arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, center, arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron, left, as Finland's President Alexander Stubb, looks on, as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump, third from right, flanked by first lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, front row left, and Finland's President Alexander Stubb, second left, attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelenskyy, center, and other guests arrive, for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, center, and other guests arrive, for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, center, and other guests arrive, for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, center, arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President Donald Trump, left, and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelenskyy, center, arrives for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

CORRECTS DATE TO APRIL 25 - President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International airport in Fiumicino, Friday, April 25, 2025, to attend the funeral for Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

CORRECTS DATE TO APRIL 25 - President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International airport in Fiumicino, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, to attend the solemn funerals for Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

CORRECTS DATE TO APRIL 25 - President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International airport in Fiumicino, Friday, April 25, 2025, to attend the funeral for Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

DENVER (AP) — A sick Jamal Murray may have been questionable for Game 6, but in his mind there was nothing ambiguous about his playing status.

“Absolutely not,” Murray said when asked if there was any chance he'd have sat out the game.

Murray scored 25 points and powered the Denver Nuggets past the Thunder 119-107 Thursday night, sending the series back to Oklahoma City for a decisive Game 7.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also had no doubt.

“Yeah, I knew he was going to play, obviously in a do-or-die situation for them,” SGA said. “And they came out with a sense of urgency and jumped on us right away.”

After being sick for 24 hours, Murray ignited the Nuggets with a four-point play to start things off and sank a step-back 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter that pushed Denver's lead into double digits.

Nikola Jokic led Denver with 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, and Christian Braun scored a career playoff-best 23 points. But it was second-year reserve guard Julian Strawther who ignited the Nuggets' runaway, scoring a career playoff-high 15 points, all in the second half.

“Julian played huge for us, made real big shots," Aaron Gordon said. “I don't think that's something that they game-planned for.”

Strawther had a pair of 3s and a layup during the decisive 10-0 third-quarter spurt and he kept making big plays at both ends in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets finally had a laugher in this exhaustive, physical series.

Case in point: Strawther lost a crown in the fourth quarter. A ballboy retrieved the artificial tooth from the circle when the action went to the other end.

Gordon grabbed at his left hamstring late in the game and hobbled through the final few minutes, but he insisted he'd be fine for Game 7, which is Sunday, with the Minnesota Timberwolves awaiting the winner after dispatching Golden State in five games.

If he's good to go, that would be a huge relief for Denver interim coach David Adelman, who called Gordon “the reason why we've won games and won series and have a banner hanging up.”

Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, but he didn’t get enough help from his teammates to clinch Oklahoma City's first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 2016. All-Star Jalen Williams scored six points on 3-of-16 shooting.

The Nuggets, who won the title two years ago, finally get two days off after a grueling past few weeks. They have played every other day since April 29.

“The guys in there looked like they were happier to have tomorrow off than they were about going to a Game 7,” Adelman said.

The Thunder have only lost back-to-back games twice this season, once in November and once in early April. However, this will be the current iteration's first win-or-go-home game.

“First of all, credit Denver — they threw a punch tonight as has happened in the series, both teams are exchanging blows," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They got theirs in tonight, and both teams have done a great job of standing back up, including us, and we need to do that on Sunday.”

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From left, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, center Isaiah Hartenstein, guard Cason Wallace, forward Jaylin Williams and guard Aaron Wiggins look on from the bench as time runs out in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Denver Nuggets Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther reacts after hitting a 3-point basket late in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic collects a loose ball in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, front, drives the lane as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, front left, drives to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder guards Alex Caruso, back left, and Luguentz Dort defend in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)