Vatican’s response to Trump’s AI Pope image exposed.
The Vatican has officially spoken out on the Donald Trump’s AI-generated Pope image.
Pope Francis’ death profiled.
Pope Francis, who had served as pontiff since 2013, passed away last month at the age of 88, following years of health complications.
His death sparked a rare papal conclave—an elite gathering of cardinals in the Sistine Chapel to elect the next spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics.
With black smoke rising from the chimney until a decision is made, tensions are already high within the Church and beyond.
Trump, never one to stay out of a global spotlight, decided this was the perfect moment to inject himself—literally—into the holy conversation.
Trump’s AI image described.
The bizarre photo showed Trump in full papal regalia—white robes, golden cross, and all—shared to his Truth Social platform with a wink and a grin.
Using AI imagery, the former president was digitally cloaked in papal robes, sparking confusion, satire, and theological whiplash across platforms.
His caption? A cheeky nod to the ongoing papal conclave: “Wouldn’t mind the gig. Pope Donald I has a nice ring to it.”
But while Trump may have thought he was just stirring the pot, the backlash came hard and fast—from Rome to Washington.
The image went viral after it was re-shared on the White House’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, raising eyebrows and setting off alarms.
Backlash for Trump Pope image unveiled.
The timing couldn’t have been worse: Pope Francis was laid to rest just days earlier, and the Vatican is currently deep in mourning.
Italian politicians were among the first to clap back, with former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi calling it “an image that offends believers.”
“It insults institutions,” Renzi added, “and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around.”
The New York State Catholic Conference echoed the outrage, posting, “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President.”
“We just buried our beloved Pope,” the group continued. “This is not a time for mockery—it’s a time for reverence.”
Social media exploded with outrage, some calling Trump “the antichrist,” others joking that “he’s booked a room in Hell.”
Critics say the photo disrespects not just Pope Francis, but the centuries-old sacred traditions of the Catholic Church.
But Trump didn’t flinch. He brushed off the reaction, saying, “It’s fine. Somebody did it in fun. You’ve got to have a little fun, don’t you?”
Vatican’s response to AI photo confirmed.
The Vatican slammed it as “extremely disrespectful” in a rare, blistering public rebuke.
A spokesperson from the Vatican doubled down, stating: “This image trivializes the sacred office of the papacy. It’s offensive to Catholics worldwide.”
The Vatican rarely comments directly on heads of state—but made an exception here, citing the “deep offense” caused by the image.
Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to contain the flames, insisting Trump “has always been a staunch champion of Catholics.”
But that defense did little to stem the online wildfire already raging through conservative and Catholic circles alike.
Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham joined the circus, posting: “Keep an open mind—Trump as Pope could be… interesting.”
“The first Pope-U.S. President combo has many upsides,” he joked, “Watching for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII!”
Some Catholics were less amused, noting that the image crossed the line from political jest into spiritual blasphemy.
Religious leaders urged Trump to retract the post, warning that it risks further alienating faith communities already wary of AI’s role in media.
But Trump, as always, doubled down instead of backing down, fanning the flames of the controversy.
“It’s just a joke,” he said in a brief press huddle. “People need to lighten up. Everyone’s so serious these days.”
Vatican continues to debate Trump photo.
Still, the Vatican isn’t laughing. Sources say internal discussions are underway about whether a formal statement should follow.
The conclave to choose the next Pope officially opened May 7, as the image of Trump-as-pope continued to circulate online.
As for whether Donald Trump will ever wear the papal crown—well, let’s just say there won’t be any white smoke over Mar-a-Lago anytime soon.