Trump Defends AI Pope Image: “They Can’t Take a Joke”

D.C. (Dist. of Criminals), May 5, 2025 — Former President Donald Trump recently addressed the controversy surrounding an AI-generated image of him dressed as the pope, which was posted on both his Truth Social account and the White House’s official X account. The photo quickly drew criticism from Catholic groups, particularly in light of the recent passing of Pope Francis and the ongoing process to elect his successor.

In a press interaction on Monday, Trump clarified that he had “nothing to do with” the creation or posting of the image. “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope, and they put it out on the internet,” he explained. He also suggested that it might have been AI-generated, stating, “I have no idea where it came from, maybe it was AI.”

Despite the backlash, including statements from the New York State Catholic Conference and high-profile religious figures such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Trump dismissed the criticism, asserting, “They can't take a joke.” He further claimed, “The Catholics loved it,” and shared that his wife thought the image was “cute.”

The image, which depicted Trump in a white clerical coat and bishop’s hat, was posted without a caption, creating confusion and outrage among some Catholic leaders. However, others, like Vice President JD Vance, defended Trump, stating that people should be allowed to joke without being dragged into serious political conflicts.

In response to ongoing backlash, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that Trump had paid his respects to Pope Francis by attending his funeral and had been a strong advocate for Catholics and religious liberty.

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