Politics
Trump AI Photo Pope Criticism: Catholic Leaders React
Trump AI photo Pope criticism-
Following his social media posts of what looks to be an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed as the pope, President Trump has drawn criticism from certain Catholic leaders and at least one Catholic organization in the United States.
On Friday evening, Trump shared the picture on his Truth Social account. Shortly after, the White House reposted it on its official X account.
Late last month, Trump visited the Vatican to attend Pope Francis’s burial. Pope Francis passed away a few days earlier at the age of 88. On Wednesday, the papal conclave to choose the next pope is scheduled to start.
Trump is shown in the picture sporting the famous papal headgear, or mitre, and a gold cross around his neck, as well as the pope’s usual white cassock.
The archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is close to Trump, expressed his hope that Trump “didn’t have anything to do with” the picture to reporters in Rome on Sunday morning. To the question of whether it was offensive, Dolan replied, “it wasn’t good.”
In a post on X, the New York State Catholic Conference stated: “Mr. President, this image is not funny nor creative. Pope Francis was been laid to rest, and the cardinals will soon convene in a solemn conclave to choose a new St. Peter successor. Don’t make fun of us.
By posting the picture, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, claimed on Facebook that “Trump mocks God, the Catholic Church, and the Papacy.”
As Catholics continue to grieve for Pope Francis and get ready for the papal conclave, Paprocki noted that the image was “deeply offensive.” “President Trump owes an apology to Catholics and all people of good will,” he stated.
When NPR reached out to the White House for comment Sunday morning, they did not immediately answer.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, responded to the criticism by stating that “President Trump has been a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty, and he flew to Italy to pay his respects for Pope Francis and attend his funeral,” according to the Associated Press.
Speaking on social media Saturday afternoon, Vice President JD Vance, who became a Catholic in 2019, stated that “[a]s a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen.”
When reporters asked Trump last week who he would want to see elected pope, he responded, “I’d like to be pope.” That would be my top pick,” he said, before going on to say, “No, I’m not sure, I don’t have a preference. In apparent reference to Dolan, I must add, “We have a cardinal who happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good.”