In yet another internet-breaking moment from former President Donald Trump, a digitally generated image showing him dressed as the pope has ignited a global firestorm of criticism—from devout Catholics and political leaders to Vatican officials and members of his own Republican Party.
The AI-generated photo, posted by Trump on his Truth Social platform late Friday, comes less than a week after he and former First Lady Melania Trump attended the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away last month at the age of 88. The timing and content of the post—released just days before the conclave of cardinals is set to begin in Rome to select the next leader of the Catholic Church—were seen by many as tone-deaf and deeply disrespectful.
The image, unmistakably artificial yet highly stylized, shows Trump seated on an ornate papal throne, dressed in white vestments and the traditional papal headdress, with one hand raised as if in blessing. Though Trump is not a Catholic and does not regularly attend church, the post included no caption—leaving followers and critics alike to interpret it on their own.
Backlash Across the Aisle
The reaction was swift and fierce. One prominent Republican anti-Trump group reposted the image on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “a blatant insult to Catholics and a mockery of their faith.” Catholic leaders also voiced their disapproval, including the Catholic bishops of New York state, who released a sharply worded statement on social media.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” the bishops wrote. “We just buried our beloved Pope Francis, and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”
International reaction was no less scathing. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi took to X to call the post “an image that offends believers, insults institutions, and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown.” He added that while Trump engages in online stunts, serious economic issues like U.S. recession fears and dollar instability remain unaddressed.
Read Also: Trump’s Major Slip-Up: How Admitting He Can Bring Abrego Garcia Back Could Destroy His Own Case
Vatican Keeps Its Distance
When asked during a press briefing about the viral image, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to comment, keeping the focus on the process of electing a new pope, which formally begins on May 7.
However, Vatican insiders expressed quiet frustration over what one source described as “an unnecessary distraction at a deeply sacred and serious moment for the Church.”
Joking or Just Provocative?
Trump has not publicly explained the image, but his remarks earlier in the week only added fuel to the controversy. During a rally, he jokingly said he would nominate himself to become pope before suggesting Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as a “very good” candidate. Dolan, while well-respected, is not considered a frontrunner in the upcoming conclave. Another American, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, is among the more likely possibilities, though the Catholic Church has never had a pope from the United States.
Critics say the image and accompanying comments aren’t just jokes—they’re part of a deliberate pattern of provocative symbolism used to rally Trump’s base and keep him at the center of public discourse.
This isn’t the first time Trump has turned to AI-generated images for political theatre. Back in February, he and the official White House social media accounts shared another doctored image of Trump wearing a royal crown, captioned, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Supporters Brush It Off
Despite the backlash, many Trump loyalists have shrugged off the controversy. In West Palm Beach, Florida, 60-year-old Debbie Macchia waited near Trump’s golf club as his motorcade passed. She dismissed the uproar: “He was clearly joking. Clearly joking,” she said. “But I wouldn’t want to see them do anything sacrilegious with the pope or anything.”
Still, the post adds another bizarre chapter to Trump’s ongoing campaign to recapture the presidency in 2024, one that increasingly leans into internet spectacle and culture wars rather than traditional policy debates.
Whether meant as satire or shock, the pope post reminds the world of one truth: Donald Trump has mastered the art of keeping himself at the center of controversy—one AI-generated image at a time.
