US President Donald Trump, post niyang picture na ipinapakitang tila isa siyang Santo Papa, viral

- US President Donald Trump’s AI-generated image of himself dressed in a Papal attire which he posted online has gone viral

- While the US President might have intended it as a joke, there were some who did not find it amusing

- Many on social media reacted strongly to the image he posted on Truth Social

- Both political opponents and religious figures have also expressed their disapproval, saying it seemed disrespectful to Catholics

US President Donald Trump recently posted an AI-generated image of himself depicted as the Holy Pope.

The digital image, showing the President of the United States in Papal attire has ignited a wave of controversy online.

The image, which surfaced on his Truth Social platform, portrayed the businessman and US President seated in an elaborate chair, clad in the white vestments and headdress traditionally worn by the Holy Pope, with his right forefinger raised in a gesture.

This posting occurred shortly after the passing of Pope Francis and in the lead-up to the Conclave of cardinals scheduled to elect the new head of the global Catholic Church, which counts over a billion members.

The timing of the image, merely days after the US President had attended Pope Francis' funeral, further amplified the reactions. Subsequently, the White House's official account on X (formerly Twitter) also reposted the image.

The seemingly lighthearted post was met with immediate and strong disapproval across social media platforms.

Critics, including Republican voices who identify as anti-Trump conservatives, labeled the image as deeply disrespectful to Catholics and a mockery of their faith.

This group reposted the image, explicitly stating their condemnation of it as a "blatant insult."

When questioned about the image during a press briefing concerning the upcoming papal conclave, a Vatican spokesperson declined to offer any comment.

Reactions extended beyond American borders. Matteo Renzi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, voiced his dismay on X, asserting that the image offended religious believers, disrespected institutions, and indicated that the leader of the global right enjoys being perceived as a clown.

He also pointed to pressing economic concerns within the United States.

Domestically, the Catholic bishops of New York state also expressed their discontent via a post on X. Their message directly addressed to the US President conveyed their view that the image was neither clever nor humorous.

They reminded him of the recent passing of Pope Francis and the imminent solemn conclave, urging him not to mock their faith.

The controversy followed remarks made earlier in the week by the US President, during which he jokingly suggested that he would be his own top choice for the papacy.

He then mentioned Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as a "very good" candidate, though Cardinal Dolan is not considered to be among the frontrunners for the position. Notably, no individual from the United States has ever served as Pope.

This instance is not the first time AI-generated imagery involving President Trump has appeared on his social media. In February, both his personal and the official White House accounts shared an AI-generated image depicting him wearing a crown, accompanied by a caption celebrating the purported end of congestion pricing in Manhattan.

While some supporters have defended the recent Papal image as a clear attempt at humor, others, including individuals within the Jewish faith, have expressed reservations about any actions perceived as sacrilegious towards religious figures.

The debate surrounding the appropriateness and intent of the image continues to unfold online.

Donald Trump is the 45th and 47th President of the United States. He won in 2016 as the 45th US President against former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the wife of former US President Bill Clinton, though lost in his re-election bid against former US President Joe Biden in 2020. In 2024, Trump made a political comeback and won against former US Vice President Kamala Harris and triumpanthly took his oath again, this time as the 47th US President of the United States.

Last year, Donald Trump made history as the second US leader to make a great political comeback at the White House. The former and now-presumptive US President won in 2016, lost in 2020, and is expected to be declared the winning candidate in the 2024 presidential election. President Trump won several battleground states, assuring of more than 270 electoral votes, which is needed to win the US presidency. In his victory speech at Trump’s campaign headquarters in Florida, he declared that America has given them “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

Meanwhile, back home at the time, President Bongbong Marcos, in a statement posted on social media, congratulated presumptive 2024 president-elect Donald Trump on his projected win. PBBM, in the beginning of his statement, said that “President Trump has won.” He also congratulated the American people on showing the world “the strength of American values.” The Philippine president then said that his administration is looking forward to working with the Trump administration on a broad range of issues.

Source: KAMI.com.gh