Trump reacts to Pope's tweet criticism
<b>The US President Insists Catholics “Loved” the Joke</b> President Donald Trump has brushed aside criticism regarding a viral AI-created image of him dressed in papal attire, stating that the backlash is fueled by the “fake news media” rather...
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The US President Insists Catholics “Loved” the Joke
President Donald Trump has brushed aside criticism regarding a viral AI-created image of him dressed in papal attire, stating that the backlash is fueled by the “fake news media” rather than the Catholic community.
This digitally manipulated image, featuring Trump in a white papal robe, gold crucifix, and mitre, was shared on his Truth Social platform and the official White House account on X on Saturday, following Trump’s recent tongue-in-cheek comments about the possibility of becoming pope after the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
The image elicited mixed responses online, with some viewers finding it amusing while others deemed it inappropriate. In response to the controversy on Monday, Trump refuted suggestions that Catholics were offended.
“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 remarked to reporters at the White House.
He further clarified that he did not have any involvement in the image’s creation. “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the internet. That’s not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it. I just saw it last evening.”
Trump added that First Lady Melania Trump found the image entertaining, quipping, “Actually, I wouldn’t be able to be married, though… To the best of my knowledge, popes aren’t big on getting married, are they?”
While Trump asserted that “Catholics loved it,” some church leaders voiced their disapproval. Bishop Robert Barron described it as “a bad joke that obviously landed very poorly and was seen as offensive by a lot of Catholics.” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, expressed hope that Trump was not involved, stating, “It wasn’t good.”
Trump and Pope Francis have a history of disagreement, particularly regarding immigration issues. Earlier this year, the pope criticized Trump’s mass deportation policies in a letter to US Catholic bishops, labeling them a “major crisis” that undermines human dignity. Their tensions can be traced back to 2016 when Francis remarked that anyone who builds walls instead of bridges is “not Christian,” which was widely viewed as a critique of Trump’s proposed border wall.
Recently, Trump and the First Lady attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on April 26, marking Trump’s first overseas trip since returning to office in January. The Vatican has indicated that the papal conclave to elect a new pope will commence on May 8.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
President Donald Trump has brushed aside criticism regarding a viral AI-created image of him dressed in papal attire, stating that the backlash is fueled by the “fake news media” rather than the Catholic community.
This digitally manipulated image, featuring Trump in a white papal robe, gold crucifix, and mitre, was shared on his Truth Social platform and the official White House account on X on Saturday, following Trump’s recent tongue-in-cheek comments about the possibility of becoming pope after the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
The image elicited mixed responses online, with some viewers finding it amusing while others deemed it inappropriate. In response to the controversy on Monday, Trump refuted suggestions that Catholics were offended.
“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 remarked to reporters at the White House.
He further clarified that he did not have any involvement in the image’s creation. “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the internet. That’s not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it. I just saw it last evening.”
Trump added that First Lady Melania Trump found the image entertaining, quipping, “Actually, I wouldn’t be able to be married, though… To the best of my knowledge, popes aren’t big on getting married, are they?”
While Trump asserted that “Catholics loved it,” some church leaders voiced their disapproval. Bishop Robert Barron described it as “a bad joke that obviously landed very poorly and was seen as offensive by a lot of Catholics.” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, expressed hope that Trump was not involved, stating, “It wasn’t good.”
Trump and Pope Francis have a history of disagreement, particularly regarding immigration issues. Earlier this year, the pope criticized Trump’s mass deportation policies in a letter to US Catholic bishops, labeling them a “major crisis” that undermines human dignity. Their tensions can be traced back to 2016 when Francis remarked that anyone who builds walls instead of bridges is “not Christian,” which was widely viewed as a critique of Trump’s proposed border wall.
Recently, Trump and the First Lady attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on April 26, marking Trump’s first overseas trip since returning to office in January. The Vatican has indicated that the papal conclave to elect a new pope will commence on May 8.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
