In an unexpected move, President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as the pope on his Truth Social platform. This post comes just ahead of a significant gathering of cardinals, who are set to choose a new leader for the 1.4 billion members of the Catholic Church. The timing is particularly notable as it follows Trump's recent joke about his desire to become pope.
Trump, who identifies as a non-Catholic and is not known for regular church attendance, posted the image late on a Friday evening. This was less than a week after attending the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88. Following Trump’s original post, the White House also shared the image on its official X account, further amplifying the controversy.
The image, which shows an unsmiling Trump clad in traditional white papal vestments with his right forefinger raised, quickly elicited backlash on social media, particularly on X. Among the critics, a faction of Republicans, who describe themselves as pro-democracy conservative Republicans, expressed their disdain for what they deemed a blatant insult to Catholics and their faith. They reposted the image, labeling it a mockery.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni refrained from commenting on the image during a press briefing about the upcoming papal election process, which begins on May 7. However, former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi did not hold back, stating on X that the image offends believers and trivializes important institutions. He emphasized that while the leader of the global right enjoys making a spectacle, pressing issues like the American economy are at stake.
Closer to home, the Catholic bishops of New York voiced their disapproval on X, stating, "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President." They reminded Trump of the solemnity surrounding the recent passing of Pope Francis and the impending conclave to elect a new successor to St. Peter, urging him not to mock their faith.
In a lighthearted manner, Trump mentioned on Tuesday that he would consider himself a strong candidate for the papacy, before pointing out that Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, would also be a "very good candidate." Although Dolan is not on the shortlist of potential successors, another American, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, is among those being considered. Interestingly, there has never been a pope hailing from the United States.
This is not the first time Trump has used AI-generated imagery for social media posts. Back in mid-February, he shared another AI-created image of himself wearing a crown with the caption, "CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!" Such posts have increasingly attracted attention and stirred debate over their appropriateness.
In West Palm Beach, Trump supporters like Debbie Macchia, 60, defended the president's humor, stating, "He was clearly joking." Macchia, who identifies as Jewish, expressed concerns about any sacrilegious interpretations of the pope's image but maintained that the intent was light-hearted.
The controversy surrounding Trump's AI-generated post as pope represents a complex intersection of humor, faith, and politics, highlighting the sensitivities involved in public discourse today.
