President Donald Trump ignited controversy Friday night after posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope on his Truth Social account. The digitally created picture, which shows Trump in full papal attire seated on a throne with a raised hand and large crucifix, was later shared by the official White House social media account as well
The post came as Catholics worldwide mourn the recent death of Pope Francis and prepare for a conclave to select his successor. Trump, who attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City last week, had joked to reporters earlier, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my No. 1 choice,” despite not being Catholic
The image drew swift backlash from Catholic leaders and social media users, with the New York State Catholic Conference calling the post “mockery” and urging Trump not to trivialize the solemn moment Italian and Spanish media also criticized the timing and tone, labeling it in poor taste given the ongoing mourning period
The Vatican declined to comment on the image during a Saturday press briefing, while the White House insisted the post was meant as a lighthearted gesture, not ridicule Still, the incident has fueled debate about respect for religious traditions and the use of AI-generated images in political messaging.
