Catholic Leaders Condemn Trump's AI Pope Image Amid Mourning

Catholic leaders across the United States have condemned President Donald Trump for posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope, calling it deeply offensive and disrespectful, especially as the Catholic Church mourns the recent death of Pope Francis. The image, which appeared on both Trump's Truth Social account and the White House's official X account, was widely criticized by clergy including Bishop Thomas Paprocki, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and the New York State Catholic Conference, who urged Trump to apologize. Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob described the timing as 'very unfortunate,' emphasizing the need for respect during the church's mourning period and the upcoming papal conclave. The incident has sparked debate over the boundaries of political humor, particularly regarding sensitive religious moments and symbols. Trump, who is not Catholic, had recently attended Pope Francis' funeral and made public jokes about wanting to be pope. The backlash underscores broader cultural tensions in the U.S. over respect for religious traditions in public discourse.