Trump's AI-Generated Pope Image Sparks Controversy and Debate

New York cardinal says Trump AI pope image 'wasn't good'

ROME, May 4 - U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan said on Sunday that President Donald Trump's posting of an AI-generated photo showing himself as the pope "wasn't good" but declined to say whether the White House should apologise to offended Catholics. Dolan, the archbishop of New York, was asked about the post on the sidelines of a Mass he celebrated at a Rome church ahead Wednesday's start of a conclave where he and other cardinals under the age of 80 will elect a successor to Pope Francis. Trump, who is not a Catholic and does not attend church regularly, posted the image on his Truth Social platform late on Friday, less than a week after attending the funeral of Pope Francis, who died at 88 last month. The White House then reposted it on its official X account. "It wasn't good," Dolan said before the Mass in response to a reporter's question, adding: "I hope he didn't have anything to do with that." When a reporter asked if he was offended, Dolan said: "Well, you know, it wasn't good." Then, switching to Italian, he said it was a "brutta figura", a colloquial phrase for when someone does something that is embarrassing or makes them look bad. Asked after the Mass if the post should be taken down and if an apology from Trump or the White House was in order, Dolan said in Italian: "Who knows?" He declined to say anything more about it. 'DO NOT MOCK US' Trump last week joked with reporters that he would like to be the next pope. He then suggested that Dolan could be a good pick: "I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who's very good, so we'll see what happens." Dolan, who was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict in 2012, is seen as a conservative and delivered one of the invocations at Trump's inauguration in January. The AI image posted on Friday shows an unsmiling Trump seated in an ornate chair, dressed in white papal vestments and headdress, with his right forefinger raised. The irreverent posting drew instant outrage on social media, with the Catholic bishops of New York state expressing their clear displeasure on X. "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President," they wrote. "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." The picture made the front pages of many Italian newspapers on Sunday, with most condemning it or expressing outrage. Some right-wing newspapers said it should be seen as a joke. Pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square on Sunday were also divided. "Did he really post it? He posted that? It's kind of ridiculous but yeah, okay," said Marcella Peixoto of Brazil. John Smith, an American from California, said: "I think he's a funny guy, I think he's trying to be funny and comedy is being lost in the world. I think everyone needs to lighten up and smile like you're smiling right now". Additional reporting by Yesim Dikmen and Leonardo Benassatto; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Andrew Heavens Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence

Trump calls AI pope image a joke, but experts say it's no laughing matter

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed the backlash against an AI-generated image of him as the pope posted by the White House on social media, saying it was a harmless joke, but communications experts said they did not see the funny side. The weekend AI-generated posts of Trump dressed in white papal vestments and another of him wielding one of the red light sabers preferred by villains in the "Star Wars" movies appeared typical of the provocation the president employs to energize supporters and troll critics. Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has dominated news cycles. In an otherwise relatively quiet weekend, the two images ensured Trump stayed a major topic of conversation on social media and beyond. Throughout his political career, Trump has embraced bold visuals, from posing in a garbage truck to standing outside a church during protests against police brutality. But the experts told Reuters that unlike those rooted in reality, AI images blur fact and fiction in ways that can mislead. "I think we are seeing a new phenomenon - the merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance," said John Wihbey, director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab at Northeastern University in Boston. "He's exploiting this uncharted territory," Wihbey said. "I suspect politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways." Trump told reporters on Monday that the pope image was posted as a joke on his Truth Social account, which was then reposted by the White House across social media. "I had nothing to do with it," Trump said. "It was just, somebody did it in fun. It's fine. Have to have a little fun don't you?" The White House did not respond to questions about who other than Trump posts to his Truth Social account and who created the two memes. For many Catholics in the United States, Italy and elsewhere, the image of Trump dressed as God's representative on Earth was offensive. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote on X: "This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown." Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso viewed the White House's posting of the AI images as a deliberate attempt to generate buzz. "He's the first influencer president," Ceraso said of Trump, urging Democrats not to get caught up in whipped-up controversies. Trump, he said, takes his cues from professional wrestling: "You can be the bad guy or the good guy as long as you are getting crowd reaction." Since becoming president, Trump has posted AI-generated images of a beachfront resort in war-ravaged Gaza and of himself as a king and as an Al Capone-type gangster. DANGER AHEAD Jennifer Mercieca, a presidential rhetoric scholar at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, argued Trump was seeking to project images of strength at a time when his presidential approval rating is dropping. "Trump's policies are unpopular, and his presidency is unpopular," Mercieca said. "Within this context, Trump has created a visual fantasy of himself as a hero, attempting to persuade the nation (and the world) that he is, in fact, a hero." The most recent Reuters/Ipsos polling had Trump's approval rating at 42% with 53% of respondents disapproving of him and showed concerns mounting among Americans over his economic and immigration policies. He peaked at 47% in the first days of his presidency. Northeastern University's Wihbey said a greater test of AI's ability to warp political reality will come if Trump attempts to insert himself into more "photo-realistic" images that suggest historical events and scenes that did not occur. Reporting by James Oliphant and Steve Holland; Editing by Ross Colvin and Cynthia Osterman Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:United States

Trump Posts an Image of Himself as Pope

The president has joked about being the next pontiff, but the image, which appeared to be A.I.-generated, took things a step further and drew some pushback. President Trump on Tuesday had a ready answer when reporters asked who he would like to see become the next supreme pontiff. "I'd like to be Pope," he joked to reporters at the White House. "That would be my number one choice." He took the joke a step further on Saturday, sharing what appeared to be an A.I.-generated photo of himself wearing the traditional vestments of the Pope on social media. The photo depicts him in a white cassock with a cross around his neck, his face solemn as he raises a pointed finger. The origins of the photo were not immediately clear, and Mr. Trump did not include any commentary in his post. He shared the image on Truth Social, Instagram and X, and the White House reposted it on its official Instagram and X accounts. The idea of "Pope Trump," as some people called it, was immediately polarizing. Some religious people, including Catholics, did not see the humor in it, calling the photo offensive, at a time when millions of people were still mourning Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. Several commenters on Truth Social, which is run by a company controlled by Mr. Trump, called the post sacrilegious and said it fueled misinformation. Michael Steele, a former chair of the Republican National Committee, said posting the photo during a period of mourning was evidence that Mr. Trump was "unserious and incapable." But some conservative Republicans have been playing along with the president's joke this week. Among them was Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. "I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope," he said Tuesday in a post on X. "The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides," he added. "Watching for white smoke ... Trump MMXXVIII!" The Vatican, which is deep in preparations for the election of Pope Francis's successor, could not immediately be reached for comment on the image. It is not the first time that Mr. Trump has shared polemical content that appeared to be generated with artificial intelligence. In February, he posted a video that depicted the Gaza Strip reimagined as an opulent resort emblazoned with his name. A representative for the Hamas-run government in Gaza called the video "disgraceful." After his jest to reporters on Tuesday, Mr. Trump, who has significantly expanded the influence of conservative Christians in the White House, said he had no strong preference for pope. But then he pointed to the archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, as one of his favorite candidates. Cardinal Dolan is not among the front-runners that have emerged to be the next pope, who will be elected at a conclave that begins Wednesday.

Trump Denies Posting Image of Himself as Pope, Laughing Off Critics

President Trump said on Monday that he "had nothing to do with" a depiction of himself as the pope that was shared on his and White House social media accounts over the weekend, distancing himself from the apparently A.I.-generated image that has agitated Catholics. "I had nothing to do with it," Mr. Trump said while taking questions in the Oval Office. "Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope, and they put it out on the internet. That's not me that did it, I have no idea where it came from -- maybe it was A.I. But I have no idea where it came from." Mr. Trump, responding to a question about Catholics who are displeased with the image of him dressed in white papal robes and a ceremonial headdress, also attempted to downplay the mounting criticism. "They can't take a joke," Mr. Trump said, quickly telling the reporter, "You don't mean the Catholics; you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it." But Catholics across the country, including a prominent American cardinal, have suggested the image is offensive, especially as they mourn the death of Pope Francis. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, in Rome for the papal conclave, said when asked about the image on Sunday that he hoped it was not the president's doing. "I hope he didn't have anything to do with that," Cardinal Dolan said. Asked if he was offended by it, the cardinal demurred but called the image a "brutta figura," meaning it had made a bad impression. While the president insisted he did not know about the image of himself as pope, it was posted by the White House on X and by his own Truth Social account, which has shared several apparently A.I.-generated images. Asked by reporters last week who he would like to be pope, Mr. Trump first made the joke that he was his own "No. 1" choice. He then referred to Cardinal Dolan as "a very good" option. (Mr. Dolan is not a likely candidate.) Mr. Trump is not Catholic, but his wife, Melania Trump, is Roman Catholic. Mrs. Trump was apparently fond of the image of her husband in papal vestments. "Actually, my wife thought it was cute," Mr. Trump insisted on Monday in the Oval Office. "She said, 'Isn't that nice?'" Some Catholic leaders in the United States had said the image could be interpreted as a mockery of their faith. "It's never appropriate to ridicule or mock the papacy," Dennis Poust, the executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, the public policy arm for the state's Catholic bishops, told The New York Times. Mr. Trump wooed votes from the nation's Catholics during both of his campaigns, and during the 2024 race, he chose a vice president who converted to Catholicism as an adult. Vice President JD Vance has been open about how his faith informs his politics. "I'm fine with people telling jokes," Mr. Vance posted on social media in response to a question about the image.

Trump casts himself as pope in AI-generated image

The conclave to elect a new pope has yet to begin, but President Donald Trump already has a pitch for who should lead the Roman Catholic Church: himself. On Friday, May 2, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as the pope on Truth Social. The official White House X account then reposted the image. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. The post comes days after Trump, who is not Catholic, told reporters he should be the next pope. "I'd like to be pope. That would be my number one choice," he said, before adding: "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, so we'll see what happens." Trump was likely referring to New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, whom he appointed to serve on the newly established Religious Liberty Commission alongside figures like TV personality Dr. Phil and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson. According to Reuters and the BBC, Dolan is not on the shortlists of likely successors to the late Pope Francis. Trump's fan casting of himself as the new Pope sparked waves of reaction on social media, from debates about whether it was facetious or genuine to further memes and AI-generated images. The pope image isn't the first time Trump has posted fake AI-generated pictures. In the lead-up to the 2024 election, he shared an AI-generated image of Kamala Harris holding a communist rally and an AI endorsement from Taylor Swift.

Catholics criticize Trump after he posts an AI-generated image depicting himself as pope

WASHINGTON -- Days before cardinals are set to gather for the papal conclave to select the next head of the Catholic Church, President Donald Trump posted a seemingly AI-generated image depicting himself as pope. The image, posted on Friday and amplified by the White House, didn't sit well with a group of Catholics, who took to social media over the weekend to condemn the portrayal. "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President," said the X account for the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops in the state who work on public policy initiatives. "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," the post continued, referring to the first pope. "Do not mock us." The image, which appears to have been generated by artificial intelligence, depicts the president in white Catholic regalia, similar to what Francis and his predecessors wore. In the picture, the president also wore a large cross necklace and sat on a chair with golden accents. Trump posted the image to Truth Social on Friday evening, and the White House amplified the post on X shortly after. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who was named a member of the White House's Religious Liberty Commission on Thursday, told NBC News' Anne Thompson that the image "wasn't good." Dolan added in Italian that the image made a bad impression. Dolan will be among the more than 100 cardinals who are gathering in the Vatican starting May 7 to elect a new pope. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, a Trump critic, said in a post to X that the image posted by the president "offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown," according to a Google Translate interpretation. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday afternoon. But Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, weighed in on the controversy. He responded to a post from Bill Kristol, the editor-at-large of The Bulwark and the director of Defending Democracy Together, who tagged Vance and asked whether he was "fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father." "As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen," Vance responded. The Associated Press also reported that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the criticism, saying, "President Trump flew to Italy to pay his respects for Pope Francis and attend his funeral, and he has been a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty."

Donald Trump denies posting AI image of himself as pope

A picture of the president wearing white and gold robes was posted to his account on Truth Social and caused outcry among some Christians. Donald Trump has denied posting an AI image of himself as pope - and said Catholics who were offended "can't take a joke". A picture of the president wearing white and gold robes in the style of a pontiff was posted to his account on Truth Social and caused outcry among some Christians. "I had nothing to do with it, somebody made a picture of me dressed like the Pope and they put it out on the internet," he said on Monday. "That's not me that did it, I've got no idea where it came from, maybe it was AI." When it was pointed out to him that some Catholics were offended by the image, he replied: "Oh, they can't take a joke." President Trump insisted that he first saw the image - which was posted on Friday night on his Truth Social account and later promoted by the White House on its official X account - on Sunday evening. He also noted that first lady Melania Trump "thought it was cute". President Trump was not baptised as a Catholic and therefore is ineligible to be pope, neither is he allowed to participate in the conclave.

Trump draws criticism with AI image of himself as the pope ahead of the papal conclave

NEW YORK (AP) -- President Donald Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed as pope as the mourning of Pope Francis continues and just days before the conclave to elect his successor is set to begin. Trump's action drew rebukes from a group representing Catholic bishops in New York and among Italians. The image, shared Friday night on Trump's Truth Social site and later reposted by the White House on its official X account, raised eyebrows on social media and at the Vatican, which is still in the period of nine days of official mourning following Francis' death on April 21. Catholic cardinals have been celebrating daily Masses in his memory and are due to open the conclave to elect his successor on Wednesday. The death of a pope and election of another is a matter of utmost solemnity for Catholics, for whom the pope is Christ's vicar on Earth. That is all the more true in Italy, where the papacy is held in high esteem even by nonreligious Italians. The image featuring Trump in a white cassock and pointed miter, or bishop's hat, was the topic of several questions during the Vatican's daily conclave briefing Saturday. Italian and Spanish news reports lamented its poor taste and said it was offensive, given that the period of official mourning is still underway. Left-leaning former Premier Matteo Renzi said the image was shameful. "This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around," Renzi wrote on X. "Meanwhile, the U.S. economy risks recession and the dollar loses value. The sovereignists are doing damage, everywhere." The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, declined to comment. In the United States, the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the bishops of the state in working with government, accused Trump of mockery. "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President," they wrote. "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." Italy's left-leaning La Repubblica also featured the image on its homepage Saturday with a commentary accusing Trump of "pathological megalomania." The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the backlash to the image or why the president had shared the image. But Jack Posobiec, a prominent far-right influencer and Trump ally who recently participated in a Catholic prayer event in March at Trump's Florida resort, defended the president. "I'm Catholic. We've all been making jokes about the upcoming Pope selection all week. It's called a sense of humor," he wrote on X. The episode comes after Trump joked last week about his interest in the vacancy. "I'd like to be pope. That would be my number one choice," the thrice married president, who is not Catholic, told reporters. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, piled on. "I was excited to hear that President Trump 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!" Graham, R-S.C., wrote on X. "The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke.... Trump MMXXVIII!" Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic and was one of the last foreign officials to meet with Francis before the pope died, also joked about Secretary of State Marco Rubio becoming pope, suggesting Rubio could add it to the long list of titles he holds, including national security adviser and acting archivist. Beyond floating himself for the job, Trump also has put in a plug for Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York. "I have no preference. I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out a place called New York who's very good. So we'll see what happens," he said. Dolan, 75, is one of 10 U.S. cardinals who will be voting in the conclave, but Trump's pitch might have cost Dolan support. The reason conclaves are held in secrecy, with cardinals sequestered for the duration, is to prevent outside secular powers from influencing their choice, as occurred in centuries past. There is an old saying about campaigning for the job of pope or of being promoted excessively, especially by outsiders: If you "enter a conclave as pope, you leave as a cardinal." While Trump attended Francis' funeral, he and Vance have clashed with U.S. bishops in general and Francis in particular over the administration's hard line stance on immigration and its efforts to deport migrants en masse. Right before he was hospitalized in February for pneumonia, Francis issued a strong rebuke of the administration's mass deportation plans and Vance's theological justification of it. Over 12 years as pope, Francis tried to remake the U.S. Catholic hierarchy more in his image, elevating pastors who prioritized social justice and migration issues over culture warriors who were more favored by his more doctrinaire predecessors St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI. A new pope who is more conservative could reverse that effort. Trump has nominated as his ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch, whose Catholicvote.org has been aggressively covering the pre-conclave days at the Vatican. It was one of the main disseminators in English-speaking media of a report, flatly and officially denied by the Vatican, that Cardinal Pietro Parolin had had a health scare this past week that required medical attention. Parolin was the secretary of state under Francis and is seen as a leading contender to be pope. He is also the main architect of the Vatican's China policy and its controversial 2018 deal with Beijing over bishop nominations -- a deal that the was sharply criticized by the first Trump administration.

New York Cardinal Says Trump AI Pope Image 'Wasn't Good'

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a cap with the words "Gulf of America" embroidered as he speaks to the media before boarding Marine One to depart for Michigan to attend a rally to celebrate his first 100 days in office, from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis ROME -U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan said on Sunday that President Donald Trump's posting of an AI-generated photo showing himself as the pope "wasn't good" but declined to say whether the White House should apologise to offended Catholics. Dolan, the archbishop of New York, was asked about the post on the sidelines of a Mass he celebrated at a Rome church ahead Wednesday's start of a conclave where he and other cardinals under the age of 80 will elect a successor to Pope Francis. Trump, who is not a Catholic and does not attend church regularly, posted the image on his Truth Social platform late on Friday, less than a week after attending the funeral of Pope Francis, who died at 88 last month. The White House then reposted it on its official X account. "It wasn't good," Dolan said before the Mass in response to a reporter's question, adding: "I hope he didn't have anything to do with that." When a reporter asked if he was offended, Dolan said: "Well, you know, it wasn't good." Then, switching to Italian, he said it was a "brutta figura", a colloquial phrase for when someone does something that is embarrassing or makes them look bad. Asked after the Mass if the post should be taken down and if an apology from Trump or the White House was in order, Dolan said in Italian: "Who knows?" He declined to say anything more about it. 'DO NOT MOCK US' Trump last week joked with reporters that he would like to be the next pope. He then suggested that Dolan could be a good pick: "I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who's very good, so we'll see what happens." Dolan, who was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict in 2012, is seen as a conservative and delivered one of the invocations at Trump's inauguration in January. The AI image posted on Friday shows an unsmiling Trump seated in an ornate chair, dressed in white papal vestments and headdress, with his right forefinger raised. The irreverent posting drew instant outrage on social media, with the Catholic bishops of New York state expressing their clear displeasure on X. "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President," they wrote. "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." The picture made the front pages of many Italian newspapers on Sunday, with most condemning it or expressing outrage. Some right-wing newspapers said it should be seen as a joke. Pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square on Sunday were also divided. "Did he really post it? He posted that? It's kind of ridiculous but yeah, okay," said Marcella Peixoto of Brazil. John Smith, an American from California, said: "I think he's a funny guy, I think he's trying to be funny and comedy is being lost in the world. I think everyone needs to lighten up and smile like you're smiling right now". (Additional reporting by Yesim Dikmen and Leonardo Benassatto; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Andrew Heavens)

Trump Calls AI Pope Image a Joke, but Experts Say It's No Laughing Matter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed the backlash against an AI-generated image of him as the pope posted by the White House on social media, saying it was a harmless joke, but communications experts said they did not see the funny side. The weekend AI-generated posts of Trump dressed in white papal vestments and another of him wielding one of the red light sabers preferred by villains in the "Star Wars" movies appeared typical of the provocation the president employs to energize supporters and troll critics. Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has dominated news cycles. In an otherwise relatively quiet weekend, the two images ensured Trump stayed a major topic of conversation on social media and beyond. Throughout his political career, Trump has embraced bold visuals, from posing in a garbage truck to standing outside a church during protests against police brutality. But the experts told Reuters that unlike those rooted in reality, AI images blur fact and fiction in ways that can mislead. "I think we are seeing a new phenomenon - the merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance," said John Wihbey, director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab at Northeastern University in Boston. "He's exploiting this uncharted territory," Wihbey said. "I suspect politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways." Trump told reporters on Monday that the pope image was posted as a joke on his Truth Social account, which was then reposted by the White House across social media. "I had nothing to do with it," Trump said. "It was just, somebody did it in fun. It's fine. Have to have a little fun don't you?" The White House did not respond to questions about who other than Trump posts to his Truth Social account and who created the two memes. For many Catholics in the United States, Italy and elsewhere, the image of Trump dressed as God's representative on Earth was offensive. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote on X: "This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown." Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso viewed the White House's posting of the AI images as a deliberate attempt to generate buzz. "He's the first influencer president," Ceraso said of Trump, urging Democrats not to get caught up in whipped-up controversies. Trump, he said, takes his cues from professional wrestling: "You can be the bad guy or the good guy as long as you are getting crowd reaction." Since becoming president, Trump has posted AI-generated images of a beachfront resort in war-ravaged Gaza and of himself as a king and as an Al Capone-type gangster. DANGER AHEAD Jennifer Mercieca, a presidential rhetoric scholar at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, argued Trump was seeking to project images of strength at a time when his presidential approval rating is dropping. "Trump's policies are unpopular, and his presidency is unpopular," Mercieca said. "Within this context, Trump has created a visual fantasy of himself as a hero, attempting to persuade the nation (and the world) that he is, in fact, a hero." The most recent Reuters/Ipsos polling had Trump's approval rating at 42% with 53% of respondents disapproving of him and showed concerns mounting among Americans over his economic and immigration policies. He peaked at 47% in the first days of his presidency. Northeastern University's Wihbey said a greater test of AI's ability to warp political reality will come if Trump attempts to insert himself into more "photo-realistic" images that suggest historical events and scenes that did not occur. (Reporting by James Oliphant and Steve Holland; Editing by Ross Colvin and Cynthia Osterman)

Trump Shares WTF Image Of Himself As The Pope: 'Every Day Is More Absurd Than The Last'

President Donald Trump shared an image Friday depicting him as the pope. The image, which appeared to be generated by artificial intelligence, arrived mere days after Trump jokingly told reporters he would "like to be pope" himself, following the death of Pope Francis last month. The image seems inspired by traditional papal portraits: It shows Trump in full papal regalia, replete with an embroidered pope's hat and his index finger lifted at the sky -- a gesture that appears to mimic the hand of benediction frequently used in religious blessings. The 78-year-old MAGA leader posted the image on his Truth Social platform around 10:30 p.m. ET. It was later reshared by the official White House account on several other platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, to thousands of baffled reactions. "Where do you even begin with this?" wrote one user on X, with another person commenting more directly: "A 'Pope trump' would be the first Pope in history unable to recite a single Bible verse, or even recount his favorite part, except for Two Corinthians." Asked last week who he thought should succeed Pope Francis, Trump told reporters: "I'd like to be pope." While he went on to give a more serious answer afterward, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) later said in a post on X the papal conclave should "keep an open mind" about the idea. "Donald Trump just posted a photo of himself as the Pope. It's full-on lunacy at this point," wrote the Republicans Against Trump group, with another user writing: "I honestly thought this was fake! Unreal! He actually did this! Nothing surprises me anymore." Others are more irate than bewildered, and are taking the post as an affront to their faith.

'Can't take a joke?': Trump's bizarre response on his 'loved' AI viral image of him as Pope

US President Donald Trump recently shared an Artificial Intelligence image of himself as the pope. Trump, who days prior joked that he would "like to be pope", posted the digitally doctored image of himself wearing a white cassock and papal headdress, with his forefinger raised, to his Truth Social platform late Friday. The image was then reshared by the White House on its official X account. It came less than a week after Trump, who is himself not a Catholic, attended Francis's funeral last month. Trump has now defended the AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope. Trump has attracted criticism from some Catholics after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope. ALSO READ: 'Scientist walked with the girlfriend...': Trump halts virus research funding to China, blaming Covid on lab leak When asked by a Fox News reporter about the backlash he received from Catholics about the photo during a National Football League (NFL) draft announcement in the Oval Office, Trump replied, "You mean they can't take a joke? You don't mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was AI." The post reportedly was the topic of several questions during the Vatican's daily conclave briefing on Saturday, with local outlets calling it offensive, according to the Associated Press. On Friday, Vice President JD Vance, a practicing Catholic, also defended the photo and responded to Bill Kristol, a former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle, who asked on X, "Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father?" Vance responded: "As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen." ALSO READ: Warren Buffett shares wisdom on finding a partner for life, says 'If you want a lasting marriage...' In a follow up question, the same reporter asked Trump on Monday, "The fact the pope image was put out on the White House account -- does it at all diminish the substance of the official White House account?" The president responded by dismissing the question, "Give me a break. It's fine. You have to have a little fun, don't you?" The New York State Catholic Conference accused Trump of mocking the faith. The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops in New York, took to X to criticise the picture. "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President," the group wrote. ALSO READ: Mike Waltz, Pete Hegseth and now Kash Patel: How Trump's cabinet is falling apart as President touts 100 days in office "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." Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, now a senator for Florence, criticized the image in an X post, writing that it "offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around." "Republicans Against Trump," a group of GOP supporters who don't back the president, wrote in an X post Saturday: "More than a billion Catholics are still mourning the Pope's death, but Trump and his allies think it's the perfect time to mock their faith. Absolutely despicable."

Trump's Flippant 5-Word Response To Criticism Over 'Fun' AI Pope Image Speaks Volumes

President Donald Trump doesn't seem to be taking the criticism over an artificial intelligence-generated image depicting him as the pope too seriously. The controversial image, which showed Trump dressed in papal regalia -- a white cassock, a papal mitre on his head and a cross around his neck -- was posted on the president's account on his Truth Social platform on Friday. The image was also reshared on official social media accounts for the White House. Trump had joked to reporters days prior that he'd "like to be pope" following the death of Pope Francis. People have been outraged by the image. Several Catholic leaders publicly condemned the depiction, calling it disrespectful and a mockery. "This is deeply offensive to Catholics especially during this sacred time that we are still mourning the death of Pope Francis and praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the election of our new Pope," said Illinois Bishop John Paprocki in a statement on Facebook. "President Trump owes an apology to Catholics and all people of good will." The official social media account for the New York State Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic bishops of New York state, released a statement on X on Saturday, saying "there is nothing clever or funny" about the image. "Do not mock us," the statement read. But the president hasn't seemed too bothered by the backlash. He insisted the AI-generated image was a "joke" when a reporter asked him about it during an event at the Oval Office on Monday, where he announced that the 2027 NFL draft will be held in Washington, D.C. He gave quite the offhand response to the criticism: "They can't take a joke?" "You don't mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media? The Catholics loved it," Trump continued before seeming to distance himself from the image. "I had nothing to do with it, somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope, and they put it out on the internet," he said. "That's not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI... I just saw it last evening." "Actually my wife thought it was cute," he added, referencing first lady Melania Trump. When the reporter pointed out that the photo was posted on official White House social media accounts, Trump shrugged it off, saying, "Somebody did it in fun, it's fine. Have to have a little fun, don't you?" The White House did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on who posted the image to Trump's Truth Social account. And Trump isn't the only person in his administration to have found humor in relation to the vacancy of the papacy. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was slammed online last week after he responded to Trump's joke about becoming the next pope by writing on X: "I was excited to hear that President Trump 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!" he quipped, adding: "The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides." Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism, made a joke last week on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio's latest title could be pope. Pope Francis' funeral service was held on April 26 in St. Peter's Square. The conclave to elect the new pope is set to begin on Wednesday. Daniel Speed Thompson, associate professor in religious studies at the University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences, told HuffPost that while he believes Trump's response to criticism over the AI-generated image seemed typical for the president -- to treat criticism directed at him as 'trivial' -- it also spoke volumes. "By saying that the AI image was a just a joke, he himself dismisses and trivializes the concerns of Catholics who found the image ill-timed and repugnant," Thompson said. "It indicates to me, at the very least, that the president has no conception of 'sacredness' outside of how people regard him." John P. Wihbey, director of the AI-media strategies lab at Northeastern University in Boston, told Reuters on Monday that Trump is exploiting an "uncharted territory," which is the "merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance." He added: "I suspect politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways." "I have lived through four papal elections, with the fifth one occurring this week. I've never seen this level of humor expressed by U.S. public officials about an upcoming conclave," Thompson said, though he pointed out that "we live in a media world vastly different from even the time of the last papal election in 2013." "We also live in the Trump era, which relishes overturning norms of acceptable behavior by public officials," he said. Thompson said that while, in general, humor about the papacy may not necessarily always be considered offensive, Trump's AI-generated photo goes "beyond the pale of humor and into the realm of insult and humiliation." "That indeed is a concerning precedent for the future," he said. Thompson said that he believes Catholics were offended by the image for two main reasons: Catholics around the world are still mourning the death of Pope Francis, and the image itself was "disturbing." "For them, picturing President Trump, the seeming antithesis of so many Christian values, as the pope, who ideally should represent faith, integrity, selflessness, and peace, was jarring," he said.

Trump calls AI pope image a joke, but experts say it's no laughing matter

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed the backlash against an artificial intelligence-generated image of him as the pope posted by the White House on social media, saying it was a harmless joke, but communications experts said they did not see the funny side. The weekend AI-generated posts of Trump dressed in white papal vestments and another of him wielding one of the red light sabers preferred by villains in the "Star Wars" movies appeared typical of the provocation the president employs to energize supporters and troll critics. Since returning to office on Jan. 20, Trump has dominated news cycles. In an otherwise relatively quiet weekend, the two images ensured Trump stayed a major topic of conversation on social media and beyond. Throughout his political career, Trump has embraced bold visuals, from posing in a garbage truck to standing outside a church during protests against police brutality. But the experts said that unlike those rooted in reality, AI images blur fact and fiction in ways that can mislead. "I think we are seeing a new phenomenon -- the merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance," said John Wihbey, director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab at Northeastern University in Boston. "He's exploiting this uncharted territory," Wihbey said. "I suspect politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways." Trump told reporters on Monday that the pope image was posted as a joke on his Truth Social account, which was then reposted by the White House across social media. "I had nothing to do with it," Trump said. "It was just, somebody did it in fun. It's fine. Have to have a little fun don't you?" The White House did not respond to questions about who other than Trump posts to his Truth Social account and who created the two memes. For many Catholics in the United States, Italy and elsewhere, the image of Trump dressed as God's representative on Earth was offensive. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote on X, "This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown." Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso viewed the White House's posting of the AI images as a deliberate attempt to generate buzz. "He's the first influencer president," Ceraso said of Trump, urging Democrats not to get caught up in whipped-up controversies. Trump, he said, takes his cues from professional wrestling: "You can be the bad guy or the good guy as long as you are getting crowd reaction." Since becoming president, Trump has posted AI-generated images of a beachfront resort in war-ravaged Gaza and of himself as a king and as an Al Capone-type gangster. Jennifer Mercieca, a presidential rhetoric scholar at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, argued Trump was seeking to project images of strength at a time when his presidential approval rating is dropping. "Trump's policies are unpopular, and his presidency is unpopular," Mercieca said. "Within this context, Trump has created a visual fantasy of himself as a hero, attempting to persuade the nation (and the world) that he is, in fact, a hero." The most recent Reuters/Ipsos polling had Trump's approval rating at 42% with 53% of respondents disapproving of him and showed concerns mounting among Americans over his economic and immigration policies. He peaked at 47% in the first days of his presidency. Northeastern University's Wihbey said a greater test of AI's ability to warp political reality will come if Trump attempts to insert himself into more "photo-realistic" images that suggest historical events and scenes that did not occur.

Catholics offended as Trump claims AI pope pic was a joke

Trump told reporters on Monday that the pope image was posted as a joke on his Truth Social account, which was then reposted by the White House across social media. US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed the backlash against an AI-generated image of him as the pope posted by the White House on social media, saying it was a harmless joke, but communications experts said they did not see the funny side. The weekend AI-generated posts of Trump dressed in white papal vestments and another of him wielding one of the red light sabers preferred by villains in the "Star Wars" movies appeared typical of the provocation the president employs to energize supporters and troll critics. Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has dominated news cycles. In an otherwise relatively quiet weekend, the two images ensured Trump stayed a major topic of conversation on social media and beyond. Throughout his political career, Trump has embraced bold visuals, from posing in a garbage truck to standing outside a church during protests against police brutality. But the experts told Reuters that unlike those rooted in reality, AI images blur fact and fiction in ways that can mislead. "I think we are seeing a new phenomenon - the merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance," said John Wihbey, director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab at Northeastern University in Boston. "He's exploiting this uncharted territory," Wihbey said. "I suspect politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways." Trump told reporters on Monday that the pope image was posted as a joke on his Truth Social account, which was then reposted by the White House across social media. "I had nothing to do with it," Trump said. "It was just, somebody did it in fun. It's fine. Have to have a little fun don't you?" The White House did not respond to questions about who other than Trump posts to his Truth Social account and who created the two memes. For many Catholics in the United States, Italy and elsewhere, the image of Trump dressed as God's representative on Earth was offensive. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote on X: "This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown." Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso viewed the White House's posting of the AI images as a deliberate attempt to generate buzz. "He's the first influencer president," Ceraso said of Trump, urging Democrats not to get caught up in whipped-up controversies. Trump, he said, takes his cues from professional wrestling: "You can be the bad guy or the good guy as long as you are getting crowd reaction." Since becoming president, Trump has posted AI-generated images of a beachfront resort in war-ravaged Gaza and of himself as a king and as an Al Capone-type gangster. Donald Trump's dangerous optics games Jennifer Mercieca, a presidential rhetoric scholar at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, argued Trump was seeking to project images of strength at a time when his presidential approval rating is dropping. "Trump's policies are unpopular, and his presidency is unpopular," Mercieca said. "Within this context, Trump has created a visual fantasy of himself as a hero, attempting to persuade the nation (and the world) that he is, in fact, a hero." The most recent Reuters/Ipsos polling had Trump's approval rating at 42% with 53% of respondents disapproving of him and showed concerns mounting among Americans over his economic and immigration policies. He peaked at 47% in the first days of his presidency. Northeastern University's Wihbey said a greater test of AI's ability to warp political reality will come if Trump attempts to insert himself into more "photo-realistic" images that suggest historical events and scenes that did not occur.

Trump calls AI pope image a joke, but experts say it's no laughing matter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed the backlash against an AI-generated image of him as the pope posted by the White House on social media, saying it was a harmless joke, but communications experts said they did not see the funny side. The weekend AI-generated posts of Trump dressed in white papal vestments and another of him wielding one of the red light sabers preferred by villains in the "Star Wars" movies appeared typical of the provocation the president employs to energize supporters and troll critics. Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has dominated news cycles. In an otherwise relatively quiet weekend, the two images ensured Trump stayed a major topic of conversation on social media and beyond. Throughout his political career, Trump has embraced bold visuals, from posing in a garbage truck to standing outside a church during protests against police brutality. But the experts told Reuters that unlike those rooted in reality, AI images blur fact and fiction in ways that can mislead. "I think we are seeing a new phenomenon - the merging of social media and AI power, organized for political power and narrative dominance," said John Wihbey, director of the AI-Media Strategies Lab at Northeastern University in Boston. "He's exploiting this uncharted territory," Wihbey said. "I suspect politicians around the world will begin to use generative AI and social together in newfound ways." Trump told reporters on Monday that the pope image was posted as a joke on his Truth Social account, which was then reposted by the White House across social media. "I had nothing to do with it," Trump said. "It was just, somebody did it in fun. It's fine. Have to have a little fun don't you?" The White House did not respond to questions about who other than Trump posts to his Truth Social account and who created the two memes. For many Catholics in the United States, Italy and elsewhere, the image of Trump dressed as God's representative on Earth was offensive. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote on X: "This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown." Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso viewed the White House's posting of the AI images as a deliberate attempt to generate buzz. "He's the first influencer president," Ceraso said of Trump, urging Democrats not to get caught up in whipped-up controversies. Trump, he said, takes his cues from professional wrestling: "You can be the bad guy or the good guy as long as you are getting crowd reaction." Since becoming president, Trump has posted AI-generated images of a beachfront resort in war-ravaged Gaza and of himself as a king and as an Al Capone-type gangster. DANGER AHEAD Jennifer Mercieca, a presidential rhetoric scholar at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, argued Trump was seeking to project images of strength at a time when his presidential approval rating is dropping. "Trump's policies are unpopular, and his presidency is unpopular," Mercieca said. "Within this context, Trump has created a visual fantasy of himself as a hero, attempting to persuade the nation (and the world) that he is, in fact, a hero." The most recent Reuters/Ipsos polling had Trump's approval rating at 42% with 53% of respondents disapproving of him and showed concerns mounting among Americans over his economic and immigration policies. He peaked at 47% in the first days of his presidency. Northeastern University's Wihbey said a greater test of AI's ability to warp political reality will come if Trump attempts to insert himself into more "photo-realistic" images that suggest historical events and scenes that did not occur. (Reporting by James Oliphant and Steve Holland; Editing by Ross Colvin and Cynthia Osterman)