WASHINGTON, 3 May (Alliance News): Former U.S. President Donald Trump stirred fresh controversy on Friday by sharing an AI-generated spoof image of himself dressed as the pope, just days before the Vatican’s conclave to elect a new pontiff following the death of Pope Francis.
The image, posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform, shows him wearing white papal robes, a gold crucifix, and the traditional mitre, with his finger raised as if delivering a blessing. The post follows comments Trump made earlier in the week in which he quipped that he would like to be the next pope.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “I’d like to be pope, that would be my number one choice,” adding that he had no particular preference for the successor to Pope Francis, but mentioned a cardinal in New York who he believed was “very good.”
The comment was seen as a reference to Archbishop Timothy Dolan, a prominent conservative Catholic figure.
Trump recently attended the funeral of Pope Francis, marking his first foreign trip since returning to power. The Vatican announced that the conclave to elect the new pope will begin on May 7 in the Sistine Chapel.
During his presidency, Trump clashed frequently with Pope Francis, particularly over immigration and border policy. In 2016, Francis had criticized Trump’s proposal to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, suggesting that such actions were not in line with Christian values.
Around 20% of Americans identify as Catholic, and Trump maintains significant support within the Catholic community. Exit polls from the last election indicated roughly 60% of Catholic voters backed him.
