In a move that left the internet divided, former US President Donald Trump on Saturday shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed in papal robes—just days after jokingly expressing interest in becoming the next Pope.
The post, showing Trump in regal white and gold attire resembling that of the Pope, quickly went viral, sparking laughter, confusion, and outrage across social media platforms. While some hailed it as classic Trump humor, others accused him of being deeply disrespectful to the Catholic Church and the memory of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at age 88.
Internet Reacts: From Laughter to Outrage
Many users found the image hilarious, playfully calling it a campaign for a new religious office. One user commented, “Funniest man alive and it’s not even close,” while another joked, “Make Vatican Great Again.” Another person added, “I just don’t understand how you can hate on this guy?.”
However, not all reactions were light-hearted. Critics slammed the post as insensitive and blasphemous, especially given the recent death of Pope Francis. “This is disrespectful to the church and God himself… he’s literally the antichrist,” one user fumed. Another added, “This is disgusting and entirely offensive.” A third wrote, “This is extremely disrespectful and narcissistic. Republicans really voted for that.”
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Trump Says He’d ‘Like to Be Pope’
The controversial image comes just days after Trump made a playful remark about the Vatican’s leadership succession. When asked who should be the next head of the Catholic Church, Trump quipped, “I’d like to be Pope,” before clarifying that it was his “number one choice.”
He added that while he holds no official preference, he acknowledged one prominent figure: “I might say we have a Cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who is very good. So we’ll see what happens,” referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York.
Papal Succession Underway
The Catholic Church, a nearly 2,000-year-old institution, is now in the process of selecting its next spiritual leader. About 135 cardinals are expected to enter a conclave to choose the successor to Pope Francis, with no clear frontrunner emerging so far.
As the Church mourns its former leader, Trump’s post has added a layer of controversy to the already sensitive moment—blending satire, politics, and religion in a way only he can.
