US President Donald Trump has ignited global controversy by posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed in papal robes just days after the death of Pope Francis. The post, which appeared on Trump’s social media and was shared by the White House, followed his recent quip about wanting to be the next pope. While some online found humor in the image, many social media users and Catholics criticized the timing as highly insensitive and disrespectful, accusing Trump of mocking the late pontiff and the solemn process of selecting a new pope. WATCH.
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00:00US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed in papal attire just
00:07days after the death of Pope Francis. The image which was posted on Trump's social
00:12media platform shows him in traditional white papal vestments, complete with a gold crucifix
00:18and mitre, pointing skyward in a classical pontifical gesture. The timing of the post
00:23coming so soon after the passing of the 88-year-old Pope Francis, who died of a stroke in a heart
00:29failure, has fuelled a firestorm of reactions across the internet. Trump's post followed
00:35a recent quip to reporters where he joked, I'd like to be a Pope. That would be my number
00:41one choice, when asked who he would like to see succeed Pope Francis.
00:46While some online users found the post humorous, the backlash was swift and intense. Many Catholics
00:53and social media users condemned the image as deeply disrespectful, accusing Trump of
00:59mocking the late pontiff and the solemn process of selecting a new Pope. Comments ranged from
01:05outrage to disbelief. One user called the post disrespectful to the Church and God himself,
01:11while another labelled it as disgusting and entirely offensive. Critics argued that the post trivialised
01:18the mourning period for Catholics worldwide and the sacred traditions of the Vatican. While the viral
01:25post has sparked a wave of memes and satire, some supporters and even politicians like Senator
01:31Lindsey Graham jokingly endorsed Trump as the dark horse Apple candidate. Still, for many, the image
01:37crossed a line, blurring the boundaries between satire and disrespect at a sensitive moment for the
01:43Catholic community.