Trump AI pope photo sparks backlash from Catholics amid papal mourning

Dubai: US President Donald Trump has come under fire, including from Catholic groups and Italian politicians, after posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope, just days before the conclave to elect the next head of the Catholic Church.

Trump, who is not Catholic and seldom attends church, shared the image on his Truth Social account late Friday.

It depicted him in papal attire, including a white cassock and bishop’s miter. The White House later reposted the image on its official X account, intensifying public criticism.

The post came less than a week after Trump attended the funeral of Pope Francis, who died at age 88 on April 21.

The Catholic Church is currently observing nine days of mourning, with cardinals holding memorial Masses ahead of the conclave to select the next pontiff.

Catholic leaders and Italian commentators have condemned the image as tasteless and disrespectful. Italy’s La Repubblica ran the image on its homepage, calling it a sign of “pathological megalomania.”

Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called it “shameful,” saying it mocked believers and institutions during a sacred time, the Associated Press reported.

In the US, the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops across the state, issued a sharp rebuke:

“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” they wrote. “We just buried our beloved Pope Francis. Do not mock us.”

But the White House rejected any suggestion that the Republican president was making fun of the papacy.

The image was widely discussed at the daily conclave briefing in Rome, reports said.

In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump, noting he travelled to Italy to attend the pope’s funeral and has consistently supported Catholic values and religious freedom.

Meanwhile, Trump allies shrugged off the controversy. Far-right commentator Jack Posobiec, who is Catholic, dismissed the outrage, saying, “We’ve all been making jokes about the upcoming pope selection all week. It’s called a sense of humour.”

The image shows an unsmiling Trump seated in an ornate chair, dressed in white papal vestments and headdress, with his right forefinger raised.

It came after Trump joked to reporters last week that he would like to be the next pope, just days before cardinals are due to start the conclave to elect the successor of Pope Francis.

Asked who he would like to succeed Francis, Trump said: “I’d like to be pope, that would be my number one choice.”