In the wake of Pope Francis’ passing, Donald Trump stirred controversy by posting an ‘extremely disrespectful’ image on social media.
The Pope, head of the Catholic Church, died on April 21 at the age of 88, prompting a massive gathering at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City on April 26, as hundreds of thousands came to honor him.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were among the attendees, joined by various other world leaders.
Trump quickly faced criticism online, not just for his attire and prior comments, but also for allegedly disregarding protocol.
Subsequently, Trump expressed his opinion on who should succeed Pope Francis, sparking debate over whether his remarks crossed a line. The 78-year-old took to Instagram, sharing an image that critics labeled as ‘a new low’.
On May 3, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself on Instagram.
In the image, Trump appears in papal attire, wearing a cream-colored outfit, a mitre hat, and a cross around his neck. He is seated on an elaborate gold chair, with one finger raised.
Public reaction was swift.
One Instagram commenter remarked, “Cannot believe this is real. I don’t expect any level of respect from Trump, but this is a new low.”
“Not funny. Not ‘rage bait’. As the president of the United States of America, you’d expect some decorum. The American people deserve better. Not some AI-generated slop of Trump masquerading as Pope. Trump isn’t even Catholic. This is extremely disrespectful,” another person commented.
A third user wrote, “Trump, have you lost your mind? You’re doing a good job as president but this post is downright wrong. Not funny & kind of blasphemous. You’re better than that.”
This incident follows Trump’s comments about his preference for the next pope after Francis.
When queried by reporters on the White House lawn about his choice for the next pope, Trump humorously replied, “I’d like to be pope – that’d be my number one choice.”
One Twitter user responded, “A convicted pope.”
Another quipped, “Let me guess, ‘I’d be a better pope than any past pope.'”
A third person joked, “If he becomes pope, then perhaps there will be historic changes in the religious system.”
A fourth commenter concluded, “Why yes. Clearly Trump has a clear grasp on Catholicism. Question? If he doesn’t get two-thirds vote from the College of Cardinals, will Trump accuse the papacy of cheating?”