Michelle ThompsonUS President Donald Trump has faced backlash from some Catholics after sharing an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope. The image, posted through official White House social media accounts, surfaced amid the mourning of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, and ahead of the upcoming papal election.
The New York State Catholic Conference criticized Trump, accusing him of mocking the faith. The post followed a recent joke Trump made to the media, saying, “I’d like to be Pope.” This isn’t the first time a US president has faced accusations of mocking Catholicism. Last year, Catholic President Joe Biden sparked outrage by making the sign of the cross at a pro-abortion access rally in Florida. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni declined to comment on Trump’s post during a briefing on Saturday, as preparations were underway for the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.
The AI-generated image, posted by Trump on Friday, depicts him wearing a white cassock and pointed mitre, traditional attire for bishops, with a large cross around his neck and a solemn expression. The New York State Catholic Conference condemned the image on X, saying, “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President,” and urged Trump not to mock them during this time of mourning.
Italian ex-Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, a left-leaning figure, also criticized the image, calling it offensive and insulting to believers and institutions. The White House, however, defended the post, asserting that Trump had shown respect by attending Pope Francis’s funeral and has long supported Catholics and religious freedom.
On Sunday, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, a long-time friend of Trump, expressed disapproval of the image, calling it “not good” and a “brutta figura,” meaning a bad or embarrassing impression. When asked whether the White House should remove the image and apologize, Dolan said, “who knows,” but declined further comment.
