President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image on his Truth Social account showing himself dressed as the Pope. The image was posted without any comment or context on Friday evening. The White House later shared the same image on its official X and Instagram accounts.
Background
Trump, who is not Catholic, had previously joked about wanting to be the next Pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. At a press conference on April 29, Trump said, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my No. 1 choice.” He later added that he had no preference and praised Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, who was named to the White House’s Religious Liberty Commission on May 1.
The Conclave
The Vatican’s conclave to select a new pope is set to begin on May 7, with 133 Cardinal electors participating. This will be the first conclave with more than 120 electors. Trump attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome last Saturday, where viral social media claims that he fell asleep during the service were later debunked by Snopes.
Trump’s History with AI-Generated Content
This is not the first time Trump has shared manipulated media on his Truth Social account. In February, he shared an AI-generated video showing the Gaza Strip transformed into a resort called “Trump Gaza.” Last August, Trump posted AI-generated images falsely claiming Taylor Swift’s endorsement for his presidency.
