Trump has attracted criticism from some Catholics after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope.
US President Donald Trump recently shared an Artificial Intelligence image of himself as the pope. Trump, who days prior joked that he would “like to be pope”, posted the digitally doctored image of himself wearing a white cassock and papal headdress, with his forefinger raised, to his Truth Social platform late Friday.
The image was then reshared by the White House on its official X account. It came less than a week after Trump, who is himself not a Catholic, attended Francis’s funeral last month.
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When asked by a Fox News reporter about the backlash he received from Catholics about the photo during a National Football League (NFL) draft announcement in the Oval Office, Trump replied, "You mean they can't take a joke? You don't mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was AI."
“I had nothing to do with it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the internet. That’s not me that did it, I have no idea where it came from... maybe it was AI.”
Trump then said Melania liked the photo and thought it was cute and then he moved to a joke that had he been the pope, he would not have a wife. “Actually, my wife thought it was cute. She said: ‘Isn’t that nice?’” the president added.
Then Trump was asked why the official White House X handle posted the image. "Give me a break," Trump said. "Somebody did it in fun," the president added.
The post reportedly was the topic of several questions during the Vatican's daily conclave briefing on Saturday, with local outlets calling it offensive, according to the Associated Press.
On Friday, Vice President JD Vance, a practicing Catholic, also defended the photo and responded to Bill Kristol, a former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle, who asked on X, "Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father?"
Vance responded: "As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen."
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In a follow up question, the same reporter asked Trump on Monday, "The fact the pope image was put out on the White House account—does it at all diminish the substance of the official White House account?"
The president responded by dismissing the question, "Give me a break. It's fine. You have to have a little fun, don't you?"
"There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President," the group wrote.
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"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."
Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, now a senator for Florence, criticized the image in an X post, writing that it "offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around."
"Republicans Against Trump," a group of GOP supporters who don't back the president, wrote in an X post Saturday: "More than a billion Catholics are still mourning the Pope's death, but Trump and his allies think it's the perfect time to mock their faith. Absolutely despicable."
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Trump defends AI image of pope
Trump has now defended the AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope. Trump has attracted criticism from some Catholics after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope.ALSO READ: 'Scientist walked with the girlfriend...': Trump halts virus research funding to China, blaming Covid on lab leak
When asked by a Fox News reporter about the backlash he received from Catholics about the photo during a National Football League (NFL) draft announcement in the Oval Office, Trump replied, "You mean they can't take a joke? You don't mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was AI."
“I had nothing to do with it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the internet. That’s not me that did it, I have no idea where it came from... maybe it was AI.”
Trump then said Melania liked the photo and thought it was cute and then he moved to a joke that had he been the pope, he would not have a wife. “Actually, my wife thought it was cute. She said: ‘Isn’t that nice?’” the president added.
Then Trump was asked why the official White House X handle posted the image. "Give me a break," Trump said. "Somebody did it in fun," the president added.
The post reportedly was the topic of several questions during the Vatican's daily conclave briefing on Saturday, with local outlets calling it offensive, according to the Associated Press.
On Friday, Vice President JD Vance, a practicing Catholic, also defended the photo and responded to Bill Kristol, a former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle, who asked on X, "Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father?"
Vance responded: "As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen."
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In a follow up question, the same reporter asked Trump on Monday, "The fact the pope image was put out on the White House account—does it at all diminish the substance of the official White House account?"
The president responded by dismissing the question, "Give me a break. It's fine. You have to have a little fun, don't you?"
Trump faces criticism
The New York State Catholic Conference accused Trump of mocking the faith. The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops in New York, took to X to criticise the picture."There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President," the group wrote.
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"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."
Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, now a senator for Florence, criticized the image in an X post, writing that it "offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around."
"Republicans Against Trump," a group of GOP supporters who don't back the president, wrote in an X post Saturday: "More than a billion Catholics are still mourning the Pope's death, but Trump and his allies think it's the perfect time to mock their faith. Absolutely despicable."
