Trump sparks backlash dressed as pope in AI image shared by White House

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News on May 3, 2025

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Donald Trump has gone from the presidency to the papacy.

With just days left before the start of the papal conclave — where a new leader of the Catholic Church will be selected — Trump took to his Truth Social platform to share an AI-generated image of himself dressed up as the pope. It shows him adorned in the traditional attire, complete with papal hat, white robes and a large crucifix around his neck.

The White House later reposted the image on X, inspiring many memes and even more backlash.

“Trump, as someone outside the U.S., I find your post utterly disrespectful to the Catholic community worldwide,” one social media user wrote. “The papacy is a sacred institution for millions, and this mockery is an affront to their beliefs.”

Another begged: “Please take this down. Many Catholics, myself included, find this as a great disrespect to the past and future leader of our church.”

The Republicans Against Trump account also shared the image on X, writing: “Donald Trump just posted a photo of himself as the Pope. It’s full-on lunacy at this point.”

Someone else noted: “Bro isn’t right in the head.”

Others, meanwhile, were more amused and offered up their own imaginings of Pope Donald, including one video that sees him serving up McDonald’s at the Vatican and shooting holy water out of a water gun.

“Donald Trump stuns the world by posting a picture of himself as the next Pope,” the MAGA Voice account commented. “Donald Trump would be one of the BEST Popes to ever live.”

“At least President Trump would hold as a lot ‘less sinful’ internally then 90% of all the popes, cardinals, bishops, pastors, priest, deacons, nuns, monks, brothers, of many churches of many denominations as we know the rot within the churches institutions,” another said. “Maybe it’s time ‘Make The Church Greater Again.'”

The social media tizzy comes after Trump jokingly told reporters earlier this week that he’d like to be the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church in wake of Pope Francis’ death. “That would be my number one choice,” he said.

Francis died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, April 21. He suffered from a stroke and heart failure, and Trump was among the thousands in attendance at his funeral.