U.S. President Donald Trump is under fire from Catholic leaders and critics around the world after posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope, just days before the Vatican is set to begin the conclave to elect a new pontiff.
The image, shared Friday night on Trump’s Truth Social account and reposted by the official White House X account, comes in the wake of Pope Francis’s death on April 21. The picture shows Trump seated in an ornate papal chair, wearing traditional white vestments and a mitre, with a large cross around his neck and one finger raised.
The timing of the post, paired with recent offhand comments by Trump—“I’d like to be pope, that would be my number one choice,” he told reporters—has drawn accusations of insensitivity and mockery from religious groups and political figures.
Catholic Leaders Respond: “Do Not Mock Us”
The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s bishops, condemned the image on social media.
“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.”
Their statement echoed growing concern among Catholic communities that the image trivialises a sacred office during a period of mourning and transition.
Vatican Stays Silent as Renzi Joins the Criticism
Asked about the image during a press briefing on Saturday, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to comment, saying the Vatican remained focused on preparations for the conclave beginning May 7.
Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was less reserved. Posting in Italian, Renzi said: “This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around.”
Left-leaning Italian daily La Repubblica also criticized the image, describing it as an example of Trump’s “pathological megalomania.”
White House: “A Champion for Catholics”
Despite the backlash, the White House defended Trump’s actions. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president had “flown to Italy to pay his respects to Pope Francis and attend his funeral” and described him as “a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty.”
Trump, who is not Catholic and does not regularly attend church, has long courted support from religious conservatives. He did not express a preference for who should succeed Pope Francis but mentioned that a “very good” cardinal was based in New York—widely believed to be Cardinal Timothy Dolan, known for his conservative stance on issues like abortion.
Comparisons to Past Incidents
This is not the first time a U.S. president has been accused of offending Catholic sensibilities. A year ago, President Joe Biden faced criticism after making the sign of the cross at a rally in support of abortion access in Florida.
Yet Trump’s AI image—which critics argue crosses the line into parody—has struck a particularly sensitive nerve due to the timing and context.
A Republican anti-Trump group on X also called the image “a blatant insult to Catholics and a mockery of their faith.”
Conclave Set to Begin May 7
As the Catholic Church prepares for a historic conclave, the AI-generated image continues to dominate headlines in both the U.S. and Europe, raising questions about the role of digital media in politics and religious discourse.
The conclave to elect the next pope will begin Tuesday in the Sistine Chapel, with cardinals from around the world gathering to choose the successor to Pope Francis.
