US President Donald Trump on Friday shared a digitally altered image of himself dressed as the pope on his Truth Social platform, after humorously suggesting he’d like to be the next Catholic leader.
The picture, which appears to have been generated by artificial intelligence, shows Trump wearing papal robes, a gold crucifix, and a miter hat, with his right index finger pointed skyward.
This came after Trump made a light-hearted remark to reporters earlier in the week, saying he would like to succeed Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.
Asked who he thought should take over from Pope Francis, Trump responded: “I’d like to be pope, that would be my number one choice.”
Trump added that he had no specific preference but mentioned a New York-based cardinal whom he described as “very good.”
He seemed to be referring to Archbishop Timothy Dolan, known for his conservative theology and strong anti-abortion stance.
The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents state bishops in governmental affairs, strongly condemned the image.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” it wrote in a post on X.
“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.”
Trump was present at Pope Francis’s funeral last week, marking his first official trip abroad since returning to office.
Roughly 20 percent of Americans identify as Catholic, and exit polls in November showed that around 60 percent of them voted for Trump.
Pope Francis had long been a prominent moral critic of Trump on the world stage.
During Trump’s 2016 presidential run, the pope criticized his main campaign promise to build a wall on the Mexican border.
Francis told reporters, “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian.”
Cardinals are set to meet on May 7 in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to begin the conclave for choosing the new pope. (AFP)
What you should know
Trump’s AI-generated papal image and comments come just ahead of the Vatican conclave to elect a new pope, stirring strong reactions from Catholic leaders.
Though framed as a joke, his remarks touched a nerve during a time of mourning and transition for the global Church. His relationship with Catholic voters and prior tensions with Pope Francis continue to shape how these actions are perceived.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM VERILY NEWS
