Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Robert Barron expressed their rejection of the Image generated with artificial intelligence (AI) which shows Donald Trump dressed as Pope, which was broadcast on the social networks of the president of the United States and the White House.
The image shows Trump sitting on a golden throne, wearing a white papal cassock, a great gold -shaped gold pectoral hanging from his neck and a miter decorated with golden motifs. Its facial expression is serious and with one raised hand.
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In Declarations to Ewtn NewsMons. Robert Barron, bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, described the image as “a joke of bad taste” and “an attempt at somewhat immature humor.”
“I do not believe that it represents a contempt for the Catholic Church or an attack against it. President Trump has demonstrated in many ways his support and affection for the Catholic Church. I think it was a joke of bad taste that, obviously, fell very bad and was seen as an offensive by many Catholics, and would like that he would not have done so,” explained the founder of the Ministry Word on Fire, who is in Rome to It starts on May 7.
On Sunday, May 4, New York Archbishop, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, declared the media: “Well, you know, it wasn’t right. As you would say in Italian, ‘made a bad impression‘(It was wrong). ”
“I hope he has not had anything to do with that,” he added purple when he arrived at the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Rome, where he presided over the Sunday Mass.
Responding to general questions before Mass at his titular church this morning in Rome, Cardinal Dolan spoke about President Trump‘s post on social media dressed as a pope. @thegnewsroom pic.twitter.com/sF1zshVTP3
— Mary Shovlain (@maryshovlain) May 4, 2025
For its part, the Catholic Conference of the State of New York wrote on social networks: “This image has nothing ingenious or funny, Mr. President. We just built our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to choose the new successor of St. Peter. Do not make fun of us.”
The controversy around the image arises in the midst of the arrival of cardinals around the world to the Vatican, where on Wednesday, May 7 will begin the conclave, that is, the process to choose the new Pope.
Diego López Marina
I was born in 1991. I have a degree in Communication Sciences. Since 2015 I work as a digital journalist. I started my career in the newspaper El Comercio in Peru. In 2016, I began as editor in ACI Press and I perform as a web editor since 2018. From 2024, I write the Newsletter for Social Media. I specialize in Catholic news focused on the defense of life and family, international politics, technology, popular culture and the Vatican.