United States President Donald Trump addressed backlash on Monday after posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope on Truth Social. When asked about the faith community’s response, Trump said, “You mean they can’t take a joke? You don’t mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was AI.”

The image sparked criticism from several religious leaders and global figures, particularly due to its timing during the mourning period following the death of Pope Francis.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield denounced the image, stating, “This is deeply offensive to Catholics, especially during this sacred time that we are still mourning the death of Pope Francis.” Similarly, Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm told the Washington Post, “I mean, he makes themselves ridiculous, right?”

International criticism also emerged. Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi posted on social media that the image “offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown.”

Despite the backlash, Trump stood by the post, framing it as humorous and suggesting that the reaction was exaggerated by the media rather than the religious community itself.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between political figures and religious institutions, especially in the age of AI-generated media and social commentary.