Just eleven days after Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, the US President shared an AI-generated image of himself decked out in full papal regalia — sparking outrage across the political and religious spectrum.
The image comes after the POTUS joked this week that he thinks he should be the next pope.
The Pope passed away on April 21 at the age of 88. His funeral, held on April 26 in Vatican City, drew hundreds of thousands of mourners to St Peter’s Square, including Trump and First Lady Melania. The couple joined countless other world leaders in paying their respects to the late Catholic leader.
However, any goodwill Trump might have gained by attending the funeral has been quickly torched online — after he posted an AI image showing himself in traditional papal attire, sitting on an ornate gold chair, wearing a cream mitre, and raising a finger in the air like he was about to deliver a blessing.
The image, shared to both Instagram and his Truth Social platform, came without a caption.
The backlash was immediate.
“Cannot believe this is real. I don’t expect any level of respect from Trump, but this is a new low,” one Instagram user wrote.
Another blasted the move as “extremely disrespectful,” saying: “Not funny. Not ‘rage bait’. As the president of the United States of America, you’d expect some decorum. The American people deserve better. Not some AI-generated slop of Trump masquerading as Pope. Trump isn’t even Catholic.”
One critic asked him to remove it: “Please take this down. Many Catholics, myself included, find this as a great disrespect to the past and future leader of our church.”
Another raged: “Trump, as someone outside the U.S., I find your post utterly disrespectful to the Catholic community worldwide. The papacy is a sacred institution for millions, and this mockery is an affront to their beliefs.”
Others were even blunter. “Completely disrespectful. The Catholic community is mourning and you post this?” wrote one user. “Psycho,” “blasphemous,” “disgusting,” and “classless” were just a few of the descriptors floating around in the replies.
Even some of his usual supporters bashed the move, with one person writing: "I voted, but what is this?" Another commented: "I can't defend this one".
Not everyone was offended. Some supporters praised the stunt, calling it “hilarious” and branding Trump “the ultimate troll".
"Funniest president ever," one fan wrote. Another added: "This is why they hate you but this is why we love you."
And while the image may have shocked, it didn’t come out of nowhere.
Just days earlier, while speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump had joked about who he’d like to see take over from Pope Francis. “I’d like to be pope — that’d be my number one choice,” he said.
That joke — which now reads less like a quip and more like a mission statement — was instantly pounced on by social media users.
“A convicted pope,” one person tweeted.
“Let me guess, ‘I’d be a better pope than any past pope’,” another mocked.
A third added: “If he becomes pope, then perhaps there will be historic changes in the religious system.”
And one more person nailed the absurdity of it all: “Why yes. Clearly Trump has a clear grasp on Catholicism. Question? If he doesn’t get two-thirds vote from the College of Cardinals, will Trump accuse the papacy of cheating?”
The chaos comes on the back of Trump’s already controversial appearance at the late Pope’s funeral, where he was criticised for wearing a non-traditional blue suit and chewing gum during the ceremony.
The Vatican conclave is set to begin on 7 May in the Sistine Chapel, where over 100 cardinals will gather in secret to select the next Pope. And while there’s no rule stopping someone from joking about becoming the next pontiff, there are a few actual requirements: candidates must be male, unmarried, at least 35 years old, and — minor detail — Catholic.
They also need to have studied theology, canon law, or the Bible.
But if Trump’s AI papal fantasy is any indication, he’s already dressed himself in the robes.