The New York State Catholic Conference has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope on his Truth Social account. The image, shared on Saturday, sparked widespread backlash after going viral across social media platforms, particularly offending Catholic communities.
In a statement on its official X account, the Catholic Conference expressed dismay, calling the image neither “clever nor funny.” The group highlighted the insensitivity of the post, noting that it comes at a time when the Catholic Church is mourning the recent passing of Pope Francis and preparing for a conclave to elect his successor.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” the statement read. “We just buried our beloved Pope Francis, and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”
The conclave to select the new Pope is set to begin on Wednesday.
