Just days before the Vatican’s conclave to elect a new pope, US President Donald Trump reignited controversy by posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pontiff. The image, shared on his Truth Social platform, shows Trump in white papal vestments, a gold crucifix, and the traditional mitre hat, pointing skyward in a classic papal gesture.
The post followed a remark made earlier in the week when Trump, speaking to reporters, was asked who should succeed Pope Francis. He replied, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice.” He added, “I have no preference. I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good, so we’ll see what happens.”
He was referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. Dolan is known for his conservative theological views and his strong anti-abortion stance.
Pope Trump: Online reaction splits public opinion
The post quickly went viral. Some internet users were amused by the spectacle, praising Trump’s audacity and comedic timing. “Funniest man alive and it’s not even close,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Make Vatican Great Again.”
Others found the timing and tone of the post inappropriate, especially given the recent death of Pope Francis.
“This is disrespectful to the church and God himself… he’s literally the antichrist,” a commenter posted.
“This is disgusting and entirely offensive,” another said. One post called it “extremely disrespectful and narcissistic,” while another user accused Trump of mocking the papal selection process, writing: “How dare you mock the process we Catholics go through to pick a new pope.”
Republican allies join the gag
Despite the backlash, some political allies played along. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina posted on X, formerly Twitter, “I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope. This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!”
He added, “The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII!”
A farewell to Pope Francis
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke and heart failure, according to Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli. His death was formally announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo. Francis had served as pope since 2013, during which he became a global moral voice and a frequent critic of Trump’s policies.
During Trump’s first run for president in 2016, Francis criticised Trump’s proposed border wall, saying: “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian.”
Despite their public disagreements, Trump attended Pope Francis’ funeral last week, which marked his first official foreign trip since returning to office.
Eyes on the Vatican
With the papacy now vacant, 135 Catholic cardinals will enter a secret conclave in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect the next pope.
There is no clear frontrunner, but some prominent names have emerged:
Catholics make up about 20 percent of the US population, and recent exit polls show that nearly 60 percent supported Trump in the last election. His papal remarks—whether sincere, satirical, or strategic—touch on the complex intersection of faith and politics in America.
The Vatican conclave now approaches under global scrutiny. As cardinals prepare to choose a new leader for the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, Trump’s joke may fade, but the Church’s next chapter is just beginning.
The post followed a remark made earlier in the week when Trump, speaking to reporters, was asked who should succeed Pope Francis. He replied, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice.” He added, “I have no preference. I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who’s very good, so we’ll see what happens.”
He was referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. Dolan is known for his conservative theological views and his strong anti-abortion stance.
Pope Trump: Online reaction splits public opinion
The post quickly went viral. Some internet users were amused by the spectacle, praising Trump’s audacity and comedic timing. “Funniest man alive and it’s not even close,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Make Vatican Great Again.”
Others found the timing and tone of the post inappropriate, especially given the recent death of Pope Francis.
“This is disrespectful to the church and God himself… he’s literally the antichrist,” a commenter posted.
“This is disgusting and entirely offensive,” another said. One post called it “extremely disrespectful and narcissistic,” while another user accused Trump of mocking the papal selection process, writing: “How dare you mock the process we Catholics go through to pick a new pope.”
Republican allies join the gag
Despite the backlash, some political allies played along. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina posted on X, formerly Twitter, “I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope. This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!”
He added, “The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII!”
A farewell to Pope Francis
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke and heart failure, according to Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli. His death was formally announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo. Francis had served as pope since 2013, during which he became a global moral voice and a frequent critic of Trump’s policies.
During Trump’s first run for president in 2016, Francis criticised Trump’s proposed border wall, saying: “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian.”
Despite their public disagreements, Trump attended Pope Francis’ funeral last week, which marked his first official foreign trip since returning to office.
Eyes on the Vatican
With the papacy now vacant, 135 Catholic cardinals will enter a secret conclave in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect the next pope.
There is no clear frontrunner, but some prominent names have emerged:
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy), Vatican Secretary of State, known for his diplomatic skills and role in Church relations with China.
- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines), a strong communicator and advocate for evangelisation.
- Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (Congo), respected for his work on social justice and environmental causes.
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy), known for peace mediation and grassroots outreach.
- Cardinal Péter Erdő (Hungary), a conservative scholar of canon law.
Catholics make up about 20 percent of the US population, and recent exit polls show that nearly 60 percent supported Trump in the last election. His papal remarks—whether sincere, satirical, or strategic—touch on the complex intersection of faith and politics in America.
The Vatican conclave now approaches under global scrutiny. As cardinals prepare to choose a new leader for the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, Trump’s joke may fade, but the Church’s next chapter is just beginning.
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