On Monday, President Trump brushed off backlash regarding an AI-generated image of him depicted as a pope, which was shared by the White House following the passing of Pope Francis.
When asked about the dissatisfaction voiced by some Catholics, including New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan, he remarked, “It wasn’t good.”
“You mean they can’t joke? You don’t mean Catholics, you mean the fake news media. Catholics loved it,” Trump stated.
He further mentioned, “I had nothing to do with it. Someone made a picture of me, and they put it on the internet. It’s not me. I don’t know where it came from.”
The president claimed he had only seen the image on Sunday night and noted that First Lady Melania Trump found it amusing. “In fact, my wife thought it was cute. She said, ‘Isn’t that good?’ Actually, I can’t get married,” he added.
During the event, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was seen laughing with Trump, while DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, standing beside him, appeared less amused. Together, they announced that the 2027 NFL Draft will be hosted in Washington, DC.
A reporter then asked if Trump would share the images from the official White House social media account. He responded, “Give me a break. It’s just someone enjoyed it. It’s okay; you have to have a little fun, right?”
This image surfaced less than two weeks after Francis’ death, coinciding with the selection of a new Catholic leader just days before the Cardinals convened in the Vatican. Trump and the First Lady had attended the pope’s funeral there.
Cardinal Dolan expressed that he wished Trump “had nothing to do with it.” Similarly, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, indicated that the president should “apologize.
“This is particularly disturbing for Catholics during such a sacred time. We are still mourning Pope Francis’ death and praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in the election of a new pope,” Paprocki stated on Social Platform x.
The New York State Catholic Congress criticized the image as “nothing clever or interesting.”
In contrast, Vice President Vance, a Catholic convert since 2019, defended the post as lighthearted. He responded on X, saying, “As a general rule, I’m joking and not good with those who initiate a pointless war that kills thousands.”
