Gone too far? Trump posts an AI-generated image of himself as Pope

President Donald Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed in papal robes on his Truth Social platform on Friday, days after making light of Pope Francis’ passing. 

The post was widely circulated across social media and met with unfiltered criticism, with many accusing Trump of blasphemy and mocking the traditions of the Catholic Church.

The image, which depicted Trump in full papal regalia, appeared online shortly after his controversial comment at a media briefing. 

JUST IN: President Trump posts AI-generated photo of him as Pope pic.twitter.com/zlpiYtyeYz

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) May 3, 2025

Reporters had asked Trump whom he’d like to be the next pope, to which he responded, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice. We have a cardinal who happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good, so we’ll see what happens.”

President Trump is disrespectful to Catholics, critics beckon

The AI-generated image came just twelve days after Pope Francis died at the age of 88. According to a death certificate released by Vatican physician Andrea Arcangeli, the pontiff suffered a stroke and heart failure. World leaders, including Trump, attended the funeral held at the Vatican last weekend.

Many Catholics and commentators saw Trump’s post as deeply disrespectful. One social media user wrote, “This is disrespectful to the Church and God himself… he’s literally the antichrist.” Another said, “This is disgusting and entirely offensive,” while others accused Trump of narcissism, egotism, and mocking the sacred process of selecting a new pope.

Some reactions were mordant. “How disrespectful to Catholics,” one commenter posted. “That is what Trump and his maggots are all about, disrespect and meanness and stupidity. How dare you mock the process we Catholics go through to pick a new pope?”

Another claimed Trump’s symbolic self-elevation to a divine role was “not just absurd, it’s a blasphemous mockery of faith, power, and democracy.” 

“This isn’t leadership, it’s narcissistic idolatry on full display. A man who once bragged about grabbing women, incited a mob on his own Capitol, dodged draft duties, and built a legacy on lies now wants to cloak himself in divine imagery?” they asserted.

Political conservatives against Trump react

Even within Republican circles, such as the group “Republicans Against Trump,” the POTUS was condemned and called a “godless man and convicted criminal” who had insulted Catholics globally. 

They referenced past scandals, including Trump’s alleged affair with an adult film actress and his legal troubles, to argue he had no moral authority to portray himself in a religious light.

Donald Trump, a godless man and convicted criminal who cheated on his wife with a porn star, posting a photo of himself as the Pope is a direct insult to Catholics around the world. https://t.co/H4SFL8xcgn

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 3, 2025

Other naysayers ridiculed Trump’s apparent detachment from serious political leadership. “You wanted a real man to do the job,” one post read. “And you ended up with Donald Trump … playing golf and dressing up as the Pope.”

“When a politician begins to elevate himself to the level of sainthood or godliness,” one liberal wrote, “history tells us it’s the final descent into tyranny.”

Still, some Trump allies saw the image as humorous. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina posted on X that she was excited the 47th President of the US is open to the idea of being the next Pope. 

“This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!” she concluded.