The New York State Catholic Conference has sharply criticised U.S. President Donald Trump for sharing an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope, calling the act disrespectful and untimely.
In a post on X.com on Saturday, the Conference—which represents the state’s Catholic bishops in advocating for policies rooted in social justice and respect for life—condemned Trump’s post, stating:
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President. 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.”
As reported by News Review on Saturday, the controversial image—posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform and later reposted by the White House’s official X account—depicted the president in full papal regalia, complete with flowing white robes, a golden crucifix, and a mitre, with one finger pointed skyward.
The post followed Trump’s recent offhand remark to reporters: “I’d like to be pope, that would be my number one choice,” when asked about his preference for the next head of the Catholic Church. His comment came just days before the conclave to select a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
Although Trump did not formally endorse any candidate, he hinted at “a very good” cardinal in New York—widely believed to be Archbishop Timothy Dolan, known for his strong conservative views and opposition to abortion.
Trump also attended Pope Francis’ funeral last week, marking his first international trip since returning to office.
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