Trump draws criticism with AI image of himself as the pope ahead of the papal conclave

Former President Donald Trump has drawn criticism for posting an AI-generated image of himself as the pope shortly after Pope Francis's death and just before the papal conclave to elect his successor. The image, shared on his Truth Social platform and reposted by the White House, was deemed offensive and in poor taste by Italian news outlets and the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents Catholic bishops. Critics, including former Italian Premier Matteo Renzi, called the image shameful and an insult to believers. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump, stating he paid his respects to Pope Francis and has been a champion for Catholics. Some allies, like Jack Posobiec, defended the post as a joke, while others, including Senator Lindsey Graham and Vice President JD Vance, made light of the situation. Trump himself had previously joked about wanting to be pope. The timing of the image is particularly sensitive given the solemnity of the papal transition and the historical efforts to prevent secular influence in papal elections. This incident also occurs amidst past tensions between Trump and Vance with U.S. bishops over immigration policies, and Pope Francis's efforts to reshape the U.S. Catholic hierarchy.