Siem Reap Times

Sunday, May 04, 2025

Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction

The U.S. President posted a papal-themed image of himself just 11 days after the death of Pope Francis, amid ongoing mourning and before a new pontiff has been elected.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted an image of himself dressed as the Pope on his social media platform, just 11 days after the death of Pope Francis and before a successor has been chosen. The image, generated by artificial intelligence, shows Trump seated on a throne, wearing full papal attire including white robes with gold embellishments, a large cross around his neck, and his right hand raised.

The post follows a remark made earlier in the week by Trump, in which he stated that becoming the Pope would be his “number one choice.” Trump had also recently attended the funeral of Pope Francis.

The Pope serves as the global head of the Catholic Church and is considered a sacred figure by hundreds of millions of believers, viewed as the successor to Saint Peter, the first Pope and a disciple of Jesus. The Catholic community remains in a formal mourning period following Pope Francis’s passing, and the process of selecting a new pontiff has not yet been completed.

Trump’s post drew swift and widespread reactions online. Many users, noting that Trump is not Catholic, expressed disapproval and called for the post to be removed. Some commenters described the image as disrespectful to the memory of the late Pope and to Catholic traditions. Others referred to the timing of the post as inappropriate, given the current mourning period observed by the Church.

Additional responses included users characterizing the post as offensive or irreverent, with some using strong terms such as “psychopath” or “sacrilege” in their criticisms. Conversely, some of Trump's supporters praised the move, stating that it provoked opponents and generated attention. Several supportive users responded by sharing memes and positive messages.

Christianity constitutes approximately 65 percent of the U.S. population, with Protestantism as the dominant denomination. Of the estimated 140 million Protestant Christians in the U.S., a large portion belong to Evangelical streams. Catholicism is the second-largest Christian denomination in the country, with approximately 75 million adherents, including President Joe Biden.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Siem Reap Times
0:00
0:00
Close
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
EU Hits TikTok with €530 Million Fine Over China Data Transfers
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
U.S. and Ukraine Poised to Sign Strategic Critical Minerals Deal Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
China Warns Nations Against Trade Deals Harmful to Its Interests
Malaysia Revises Growth Outlook Amid US Trade Talks
Let our wonderful farmers have a good feast and joyful easy life
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Myanmar: TikTok astrologer arrested for predicting new earthquake
"China has survived for five thousand years, most of it without the United States as a market, and it can easily continue to survive without the U.S. market for another five thousand years — no problem," said a China analyst.
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Peter Navarro: The Man Behind Trump’s Tariff Madness
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
Series of Earthquakes Strike Mae Hong Son and Myanmar Border
Pope Francis Makes Brief Appearance at Easter Sunday Mass
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Alphabet Faces Antitrust Setbacks as Federal Judges Rule Against Google
US Billionaires Call for Higher Taxes, but Proposed 'Millionaires Tax' May Not Achieve Desired Outcome
Designed in US, made in China: Why Apple is stuck in tariff tussle
Cambodia and China Commit to $1.2-Billion Canal Megaproject
China's Xi Urges Cambodia to Resist Protectionism Amid Loan Discussions
South East Asia Caught in US-China Trade Dispute
China Raises Tariffs on U.S. Goods to 125% Amid Escalating Trade Dispute
The Trump administration is contemplating the removal of Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges.
Alisha Lehmann's Modeling Campaign and Public Controversy Stir Debate Ahead of UEFA Women's Euro
Southeast Asian Nations Respond to Elevated U.S. Tariffs
CCTV footage from a high-rise condo in the middle of Bangkok shows the water in the pool rippling like waves
Building collapsed in Bangkok earthquake
Earthquake Strikes Bangkok, Causing Chaos in High-Rise Pool
U.S. Firms with Substantial Global Revenue Exposure in Light of New Tariffs
President Trump Prolongs TikTok Sale Deadline by 75 Days
Global Responses to U.S. Tariffs: Varied Reactions from Significant Economies
Large Blaze Breaks Out in Malaysia Following Gas Pipeline Burst
×