President Donald Trump declined to directly address concerns raised about an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope, which was recently shared by the official White House social media account. The image, which depicts Trump seated on a throne in full papal attire, went viral online after it was first posted on Truth Social on May 2, 2025, shortly after the funeral of Pope Francis and just before the start of the Vatican conclave.
During a press gaggle on Monday, Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich questioned Trump about the image, noting that it had sparked criticism among some members of the Catholic community. “Some Catholics were not so happy about the image of you looking like the Pope,” Heinrich said.
Trump as pope is hilarious. So many are triggered over this. Calm down folks. He is just trolling. pic.twitter.com/BLU03wo8ti
— Sassafrass84 (@Sassafrass_84) May 3, 2025
Trump interrupted the question, redirecting the focus toward media reaction. “Oh, I see. You mean they can’t take a joke? You don’t mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it,” Trump responded. He added that he had not created or authorized the image, saying, “I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the Internet.”
He further stated that he had only seen the image the night before and denied any role in its creation or dissemination. “Maybe it was AI,” Trump said. “But I know nothing about it. Actually, my wife thought it was cute. She said, ‘Isn’t that nice?’”
When Heinrich attempted to clarify that her concern centered on the image being posted by the official White House account, Trump dismissed the issue. “It was a meme,” he said. “Give me a break. It was just somebody did it in fun… Have to have a little fun, don’t you?”
🚨 LMAO…!!
REPORTER: Catholics are not happy you posted an image of you as the Pope.
TRUMP: “Ohh, I see. You mean, they can’t take a joke? You don’t mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it.”
“Maybe it was AI… my wife thought it was cute.… pic.twitter.com/zwKdvXzx0K
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 5, 2025
The image’s spread, particularly after its posting by the @WhiteHouse account on X, drew over 100 million views in less than 48 hours. The White House has not issued an official statement regarding the decision to share the image, and it remains unclear who authorized the post.
The incident has led to divided reactions online. Conservative commentators and Trump supporters criticized Heinrich’s question, labeling it as part of what they described as the media’s tendency to overreact. Others defended the question as a legitimate inquiry into the tone and messaging coming from official government communications.
Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, weighed in on the controversy through a post on X. Responding to criticism from Bill Kristol, a former Republican policy adviser and a vocal critic of Trump, Vance wrote, “As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen.” The post referenced Kristol’s role in supporting U.S. military action during the Iraq War, a point that has drawn renewed attention in recent years among non-interventionist conservatives.
The image and surrounding commentary continue to circulate widely across social media platforms. No formal rebuke or clarification has yet been issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops or by officials at the Vatican regarding the image’s use or timing. The Pope’s funeral and subsequent conclave to elect a new pontiff remain ongoing as of this reporting.
