Outrage at Trump posting AI image of himself as pope

The image was posted on May 3 on Trump’s official X accounts – one from The White House and one from his personal account. A few days earlier, Trump told reporters “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice.”

Trump made the comment with a straight face and then endorsed Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York.

When asked about the post by reporters in Rome, Cardinal Dolan said “It wasn’t good”.

The New York State Catholic Conference said on X that there is “nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President. 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”.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, described the post as “deeply offensive” and said that Trump should apologise to Catholics.

“By publishing a picture of himself masquerading as the pope, President Trump mocks God, the Catholic Church and the papacy,” Bishop Paprocki said.

There appeared to be no comment from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on May 3.

The White House did not respond to an email seeking comment. Asked about the criticism, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Associated Press, “President Trump flew to Italy to pay his respects for Pope Francis and attend his funeral, and he has been a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty”.

Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic, dismissed the controversy about the image of Trump dressed in white as a joke.

FULL STORY

Catholic outrage grows over ‘Pope Trump’ image on official White House media (By Rina Guidos/National Catholic Reporter)

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