The Catholic Bishops of New York have publicly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump after he shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope, calling the move deeply disrespectful amid the Church’s period of mourning.

In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), the Catholic Conference of New York State stated:
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President. We just buried our beloved Pope Francis, and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”

Trump had posted the digitally altered image on Saturday via Truth Social, his personal social media platform. The post quickly gained traction, amassing over 12,000 interactions and was even reposted by the White House’s official X account, drawing widespread attention. See post here

The backlash comes just weeks after the passing of Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) on April 21, 2025, following a lengthy illness. The Vatican has since announced that the conclave to elect the next Pope will begin on May 7. According to Church rules, only cardinals under the age of 80 may participate in the vote, with 135 of the current 252 cardinals expected to take part.

Adding to the controversy, Trump had joked to reporters last week that he would like to assume the papacy, saying:
“I would like to be Pope. That would be my number one choice.”

His remarks, coupled with the AI image, have been widely interpreted as tone-deaf and offensive by many within the Catholic community, particularly given the timing.

As the global Church prepares for a solemn transition of leadership, Church officials and faithful alike are urging public figures to show respect for the gravity of the moment.