Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as Pope, Sparking Catholic Fury
Religious leaders and critics condemn the post as offensive and disrespectful amid preparations for the Vatican’s papal conclave
- Trump posts AI-generated image of himself dressed as pope on Truth Social
- Outrage from Catholic leaders and religious groups, calling the post disrespectful
- Backlash comes ahead of papal conclave
In a move that quickly ignited controversy, United States of America President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope on his Truth Social platform, just days before cardinals gather to elect a new head of the Catholic Church.
The post, made late Friday, comes on the heels of Trump’s lighthearted remark that he “would like to be pope” and shortly after the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away at 88.
The digitally altered image shows Trump unsmiling, clad in full white papal attire, seated on a grand chair with his right index finger raised in a blessing-like gesture. Although Trump is neither Catholic nor a regular churchgoer, the White House reposted the image on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Reactions online were swift and scathing. The Republican Accountability Project, a group of anti-Trump conservatives, slammed the image as “a blatant insult to Catholics and a mockery of their faith.”
Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi also condemned the post, calling it an affront to believers and institutions, accusing Trump of clownish behavior while the U.S. economy teeters.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to comment, while New York’s Catholic bishops voiced their dismay, tweeting: “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President… Do not mock us.”
The backlash follows Trump’s earlier quip that he’d nominate himself as pope, though he also floated Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as a “very good” choice—despite Dolan not being considered a leading contender. Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, is the only American rumored to be in the running.
This isn’t Trump’s first foray into AI imagery. In February, he shared an altered image of himself wearing a crown, celebrating the end of Manhattan’s congestion pricing plan with the caption “LONG LIVE THE KING.”
Despite the uproar, some supporters brushed it off. “He was clearly joking,” said West Palm Beach resident Debbie Macchia, while still noting religious imagery should be handled respectfully.
