WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm of criticism after posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope on his Truth Social platform. The image, shared late Friday, depicted Trump seated solemnly in ornate papal vestments, with his right forefinger raised, resembling traditional portrayals of the pontiff. The post came just days after he attended the funeral of Pope Francis and ahead of the conclave set to elect the new leader of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican declined to comment on the image during a briefing about the upcoming papal election. However, the post drew immediate backlash from various quarters. A group identifying as “pro-democracy conservative Republicans fighting Trump & Trumpism” labeled the image “a blatant insult to Catholics and a mockery of their faith.” Closer to home, the Catholic bishops of New York state expressed their displeasure, stating, “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 … .”

Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Ren … also condemned the post, writing on X, “This is an image that … .”

This incident is not the first time Trump has used AI-generated imagery controversially. In mid-February, both … an AI-generated image of the president … , captioned “CONGESTION … !”

Despite the backlash, some supporters defended the post. Debbie Macchia, a 60-year-old supporter waiting outside Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, said, “He was clearly joking. Clearly joking. But I wouldn’t want to see them … .”

The controversy underscores the growing concerns over the use of AI-generated content in political discourse and the potential for such imagery to offend religious and cultural sensibilities.

Source; Reuters