Trump’s AI Papal Image Sparks Religious Controversy
President Donald Trump has ignited a firestorm of criticism within the Catholic community after sharing an artificially generated image depicting himself as the pontiff. The controversial post appeared on Trump’s Truth Social platform Friday night before being reposted by the official White House X account, raising questions about appropriate boundaries during a solemn period of mourning for Pope Francis.
The AI-rendered image, showing Trump dressed in white papal vestments with a raised forefinger, emerged less than a week after the president attended Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican. The timing has particularly offended many Catholic leaders, as the church observes a traditional nine-day mourning period and prepares for the conclave to select Francis’s successor beginning May 7.
Cardinal Dolan: “It Wasn’t Good”
Even Trump’s allies within the Catholic hierarchy have expressed disapproval of the image. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who has maintained generally friendly relations with the president, offered measured criticism when questioned by journalists on Sunday.
“It wasn’t good,” Cardinal Dolan said, adding that he hoped Trump “didn’t have anything to do with” the controversial post, according to Reuters. Notably, Trump had previously suggested Dolan as a papal candidate, though the New York archbishop is not considered a serious contender for the position.
Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois took a stronger stance, declaring the image “deeply offensive” and stating that “Trump mocks God, the Catholic Church, and the Papacy.” Paprocki explicitly called for an apology, saying “President Trump owes an apology to Catholics and all people of good will,” as reported by NPR.
White House Defends Presidential Post
The White House has not retracted the image or issued an apology, instead emphasizing Trump’s support for religious communities. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to criticism by stating: “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,” according to PBS News.
Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, appeared to defend the president on social media. “As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,” Vance wrote, seemingly dismissing concerns about the image’s appropriateness.
Jack Posobiec, a prominent conservative influencer and Trump ally, directly defended the image as humor. “I’m Catholic. We’ve all been making jokes about the upcoming Pope selection all week. It’s called a sense of humor,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Image Follows Presidential Papal Jokes
The controversial AI rendering appeared just days after Trump joked about his own papal ambitions when asked by reporters about the upcoming conclave. “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice,” Trump told journalists on April 30, before clarifying that he was not serious, as reported by CNBC.
Though Trump himself is not Catholic—he was raised Presbyterian and has described himself as a non-denominational Christian—he has maintained connections with Catholic leaders and communities throughout his political career. His recent attendance at Pope Francis’s funeral underscored the diplomatic importance of U.S.-Vatican relations.
The New York State Catholic Conference issued one of the most direct condemnations, writing: “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.”
Critics Point to Pattern of AI Media Use
This is not the first time Trump has utilized AI-generated imagery in his official communications. In February, both his personal account and White House social media posted an AI image depicting the president wearing a crown, celebrating his intervention in New York City’s congestion pricing policy.
Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele criticized the papal image, describing it as affirmation of “how unserious and incapable” Trump is as president, according to TIME. Conservative commentator Bill Kristol directly challenged Vice President Vance’s apparent approval, questioning whether he was comfortable with “this disrespect and mocking of the Catholic faith.”
Italian media has also taken notice of the controversy. La Repubblica, a prominent Italian daily newspaper, described the post as “infantile” and accused Trump of “pathological megalomania,” while the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declined to comment on the matter, as CNN reported.
Vatican Maintains Diplomatic Silence
Official Vatican representatives have refrained from commenting directly on the controversial image. Spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to address the matter during a briefing with journalists about the upcoming conclave process, maintaining diplomatic distance from the controversy.
The relationship between Trump and Pope Francis had previously been strained over policy differences, particularly regarding immigration. Francis once suggested that Trump’s border wall plans were “not Christian,” while the Catholic leader also criticized mass deportation efforts as damaging to “the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families.”
As the Catholic Church prepares for the solemn process of selecting its new leader beginning May 7, the incident has introduced an unexpected element of political controversy into an already closely watched religious transition.
