WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. President Donald Trump is under fire from Catholic leaders and political figures after posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope, just days after the death of Pope Francis.
The controversial image, shared Friday night through official White House social media accounts, shows Trump wearing a white papal cassock, a pointed miter, and a large cross necklace. He appears solemn and raises one finger, a gesture often associated with religious authority.
The post has sparked backlash, particularly from the Catholic community, as it coincided with the mourning period for Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21. The Vatican is currently preparing for the conclave to elect his successor, set to begin Wednesday.
The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops throughout the state, strongly condemned Trump’s post.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President,” the group wrote 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.”
The criticism was further amplified by Italian political figures. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, a centrist who has been critical of right-wing populism, also denounced Trump’s post.
“This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around,” Renzi wrote in Italian on X.
The backlash follows Trump’s comment earlier this week in which he told reporters, “I’d like to be Pope.”
Trump is not the first U.S. president to face accusations of disrespecting the Catholic faith. Former President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, faced a wave of criticism last year after making the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion access rally in Tampa, Florida — a gesture seen by some as inappropriate in that context.
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni declined to comment on the image during a press briefing on Saturday, remaining focused on the upcoming papal conclave.
Despite the uproar, the White House dismissed claims that the president was mocking the papacy.
“President Trump flew to Italy to pay his respects to Pope Francis and attend his funeral, and he has been a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
As the global Catholic community prepares for a pivotal moment in Church history, the president’s social media post has added fuel to debates over religious sensitivity and the use of AI-generated imagery by political figures.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
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- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
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- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
