Trump posts AI image of himself as Pope amid Vatican's search for new pontiff

President Donald Trump appears to person his oculus connected a caller gig aft being backmost successful the Oval Office for conscionable implicit 100 days. 

On Friday, the president posted an AI-generated representation of himself arsenic the pope connected Truth Social, and it has gone viral. Less than a week anterior to the post, Trump was successful Rome attending the ceremonial for the precocious Pope Francis. As the Vatican searches for a caller pontiff, it seems Trump is jokingly throwing his chapeau successful the ring.

President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated representation of himself arsenic the pope connected Truth Social connected Friday, May 2, 2025. (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)

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The station was met with a wide scope of reactions—from immoderate who recovered it comic to others who said it was offensive.

Townhall columnist Dustan Grage dismissed critics, saying that astir of those helium saw complaining astir the station were atheists and that their opinions didn’t matter.

"Memes depicting Trump arsenic Christ person been and ever volition beryllium called retired arsenic blasphemy. The Pope representation is really funny. Calm down, folks," Grage wrote.

Meanwhile, Democratic activistic and influencer Harry Sisson accused "MAGA" of electing a "man-child."

President Donald Trump holds an 'Investing successful America' lawsuit successful the White House successful Washington, D.C., April 30, 2025.  (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

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Earlier this week, erstwhile asked astir who helium would privation to spot instrumentality implicit the Vatican, Trump quipped that helium wanted to beryllium pope.

"I’d similar to beryllium pope. That’d beryllium my fig 1 choice," Trump said, earlier clarifying that helium was joking and naming a imaginable enactment — Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Trump, who was raised arsenic a Presbyterian, has said helium present considers himself a nondenominational Christian.

The Catholic Church's cardinals, including Dolan, are acceptable to stitchery astatine the Vatican for the conclave connected May 7, erstwhile they volition ballot for the adjacent pope. However, dissimilar secular elections, candidates for pope absorption connected supplication and reflection alternatively than campaigning.

Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan walks to speech to the media aft holding greeting wide aft the decease of Pope Francis was announced by the Vatican, astatine St Patrick's Cathedral successful Manhattan, New York City, April 21, 2025. (Adam Gray/Reuters)

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"Last clip successful 2013, erstwhile we had the opening prayer—because supplication is extraordinarily important—we had a reflection fixed by a fantastic Franciscan preacher," Dolan told Martha MacCallum connected "The Story." "He said, 'Eminences, you're each frightened due to the fact that you person a pugnacious occupation to elite the adjacent pope. ... Let maine enactment your caput astatine ease. It's easy. The Holy Spirit has already chosen the adjacent pope. Your occupation is to find retired who it is’." 

Contenders to regenerate Pope Francis see Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State; Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle; Cardinal Peter Erdo; Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu; Cardinal Raymond Burke; and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.