Overview

• An AI-generated image of President Trump as the pope was posted on his Truth Social account and shared by the White House on May 2, sparking backlash from Catholic leaders and commentators.
• Trump denied any role in creating or sharing the image, claiming he only saw it on May 4 and suggesting it was created as a joke by someone else using AI.
• The president defended the image as humorous, stating that critics, particularly the media, 'can't take a joke,' while asserting that 'Catholics loved it,' despite significant criticism from Catholic leaders.
• Prominent Catholic figures, including Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the New York State Catholic Conference, condemned the image as disrespectful during a period of mourning following Pope Francis's death on April 21.
• Vice President JD Vance supported Trump’s stance, framing the image as a harmless joke, while international figures like Matteo Renzi criticized it as offensive and undignified.