U S Catholic Bishops Slam Trump’s AI Pope Image as Offensive and Poorly Timed

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Former President Donald Trump is under fire from the New York State Catholic Conference after sharing an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope.

The Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops, condemned the post as offensive and disrespectful, especially in the wake of Pope Francis’s recent death.

“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” the bishops stated Saturday, as reported by Vanguard Newspaper.

“We just buried our beloved Pope Francis, and the cardinals are preparing for a solemn conclave. Do not mock us.”

The image, originally posted to Trump’s Truth Social account and later reshared by the White House’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, shows Trump in ornate papal garb, including white robes, a golden crucifix, and a towering mitre, with one finger pointed skyward. It quickly went viral, prompting widespread criticism from Catholics who viewed it as irreverent.

Adding to the controversy, the post came just days after Trump told reporters that becoming Pope would be his “top choice,” a comment many deemed tone-deaf given the solemn transition underway within the Church. Trump had attended Pope Francis’s funeral the week prior, marking his first trip abroad since returning to office.