Catholic leaders in New York have publicly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump after he shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope, calling it offensive and disrespectful in the wake of Pope Francis’ death.
In a post shared on their official X account, the Catholic Bishops of New York wrote: “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.”
The controversial image, which appeared first on Trump’s Truth Social account on Friday, May 2, depicts him in full papal attire, white vestments and headdress, sitting unsmiling in a chair with his right index finger raised.
This post came less than a week after the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88.
Trump, who is not a member of the Catholic Church, had previously joked on April 29 that he would be his own top choice for pope, before suggesting Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as another strong candidate.
Following Trump’s post, the White House further amplified the image by sharing it on its official X page, intensifying the reaction.
The post ignited a storm of criticism on social media, including from Republicans Against Trump, a conservative group opposing the former president.
The group reposted the image, describing it as “a blatant insult to Catholics and a mockery of their faith.”
The timing of the image, just before the Catholic Church’s cardinals convene to elect a new pope, added to the sense of insensitivity perceived by many, including devout members of the Church.