President Donald Trump on Friday shared an AI image of himself dressed as the pope and received lots of reactions.
In the post on Truth Social, the president did not write a caption but only shared the image of himself dressed in white papal robes with a cross around his neck:
From Donald Trump Truth Social 05/02/25 10:29 PM pic.twitter.com/6BmCkSY1Q8
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 3, 2025
The post appears to be linked to Trump’s statement this week when a reporter asked him who he would like to see as the next pope.
“I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice,” he said jokingly. “No, I don’t know. I have no preference. I must say we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good,” he added:
US President Trump just posted a picture of himself as the Pope on the Truth Social.
— Chris Ejiofor 𝕏 (@ChrisEjiofor7) May 3, 2025
It comes after he told the media this week that he wants to be the next Pope.
Here is the interview:
👇
Journalist: Who would you like to see in place of the head of the Vatican?
Trump: “I’d… pic.twitter.com/Mol2HvUN0y
Pope Francis died on April 21 at 88 years of age, and a commencement date for the conclave to elect his successor was recently set by the Vatican, for Wednesday, May 7, Breitbart News reported.
Some social media users were not happy with the president after he shared the AI image.
“During this period of Novemdiales (mourning the loss of Pope Francis) I’ll set this offense aside because Trump in his narcissism gets off on our being offended. More to the point, this affirms how unserious and incapable he is. At 78 he remains a 10yo child, emotionally scarred and broken while desperate to prove he could be somebody. His problem: he can’t grow up to prove it,” podcast host and former RNC chairman Michael Steele wrote:
During this period of Novemdiales (mourning the loss of Pope Francis) I’ll set this offense aside because Trump in his narcissism gets off on our being offended. More to the point, this affirms how unserious and incapable he is. At 78 he remains a 10yo child, emotionally scarred… pic.twitter.com/FLZGRuKHyE
— Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) May 3, 2025
Another person accused Trump of turning the papal conclave into a “costume party,” calling it a “bold move.”
@realDonaldTrump, I have to hand it to you—turning a papal conclave into a personal costume party is a bold move. I mean, who needs centuries of tradition when you’ve got AI and a mirror to reflect all that… sanctity? I’m just wondering if the College of Cardinals is ready for a…
— Mike Young 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱🟧 (@micyoung75) May 3, 2025
However, such arguments were countered by others online. One user whose profile says he is the “Biggest Trump supporter in Poland,” wrote:
“For those who say President Trump is mocking the papacy and Catholicism… During his first term, President Trump paid homage to Pope John Paul II: ‘And when the day came on June 2nd, 1979, and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass with their Polish Pope — that day, every Communist in Warsaw must have known that their oppressive system would soon come crashing down,'” he stated:
For those who say President Trump is mocking the papacy and Catholicism...
— Wojciech Pawelczyk (@WojPawelczyk) May 3, 2025
During his first term, President Trump paid homage to Pope John Paul II:
"And when the day came on June 2nd, 1979, and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass with… pic.twitter.com/LKaVO2V6CO
Another social media user said, “Trump as pope is hilarious. So many are triggered over this. Calm down folks. He is just trolling.”
Trump as pope is hilarious. So many are triggered over this. Calm down folks. He is just trolling. pic.twitter.com/BLU03wo8ti
— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) May 3, 2025
Additional people commented on Trump’s post, one person writing, “Love it when he trolls.”
Following the pope’s death, Trump shared his condolences online, stating, “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” He and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, later attended the Catholic leader’s funeral in Rome, Italy, to pay their respects.