“Take a Joke”: Trump Mocks Catholics Upset Over Image of Him as Pope
The White House’s social media post on Friday night depicting Donald Trump as the pope was apparently “just a little fun,” according to the president.
“Actually, my wife thought it was cute,” Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to a seemingly AI-generated image in which he appears dressed in white papal attire. “Actually, I would not be able to be married, though. That wouldn’t be allowed. To the best of my knowledge, popes aren’t getting married. Not that we know of, no.”
Still, personally acknowledging that he and his wife witnessed and shared the bizarre and offensive image wasn’t enough to deem the image real.
“I think it’s the fake news media, you know,” Trump said. “They’re fakers.”
Trump also insisted that Catholics “loved it” and chalked up critiques of the stunt to the “fake news.” But that also appears to not be based in reality.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” posted the official account for the New York State Catholic Conference on X. “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.”
Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi also had rough news for Trump, writing in Italian that the image “offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown.”
Even New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan—a supposed Trump ally, who was named a member of the White House’s Religious Liberty Commission Thursday—said that the picture “wasn’t good.”
When asked by a reporter if leveraging the official White House account to share “memes” was “diminishing” the value of the channel, Trump responded that the press should give him “a break.”
“Somebody did it in fun. It’s fine. Hate to have a little fun, don’t you?” poked Trump.
It’s not the first time the self-purported Christian has made light of the religion’s principles. As a way to line his pockets last year, the notorious scammer launched a $60 Bible co-promoted alongside “God Bless the USA” singer Lee Greenwood.
And in the midst of his bank fraud trial in 2024, the famed adulterer compared himself to Jesus, claiming that someone had sent him a note likening his legal comeuppance for decades of financial abuse to Christ’s persecution.
And just last week, Trump actually said he’d “like to be pope.”
“That would be my number one choice,” Trump told reporters.