Trump Blasted For Posting 'Blasphemous' Image Shortly After Pope Francis' Funeral

Only eleven days after Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, the former US President shared an AI-made picture of himself dressed in full papal clothing — a post that has triggered outrage across both political and religious communities.

This comes shortly after Trump joked about wanting to become the next pope, adding fuel to the already intense reaction.

Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88. His funeral took place on April 26 in Vatican City and was attended by hundreds of thousands of people. Among the crowd were Trump and First Lady Melania, who joined a long list of world leaders there to honor the late Pope.

However, whatever goodwill Trump might have earned by attending the ceremony was quickly overshadowed.

His decision to post an AI-generated photo showing himself in papal robes — sitting on a lavish golden chair, wearing a cream mitre, and lifting his finger as if about to bless — sparked intense backlash online.

Trump shared the image on his social media channels. Credit: TruthSocial/DonaldTrump

The image, which appeared on both Instagram and Trump’s Truth Social account, was shared without any caption or explanation.

But it didn’t take long for the internet to react.

"Cannot believe this is real. I don't expect any level of respect from Trump, but this is a new low," one Instagram user wrote.

Another person called the post "extremely disrespectful,", adding: "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."

One user even urged Trump to delete it: "Please take this down. Many Catholics, myself included, find this as a great disrespect to the past and future leader of our church."

Someone else was furious, writing: "Trump, as someone outside the U.S., I find your post utterly disrespectful to the Catholic community worldwide. The papacy is a sacred institution for millions, and this mockery is an affront to their beliefs."

Many reactions were even harsher. "Completely disrespectful. The Catholic community is mourning and you post this?" one person said. Words like "Psycho,", "blasphemous,", "disgusting,", and "classless" were just a few of the responses popping up in the comment sections.

Even some of Trump's loyal fans were taken aback. One wrote: "I voted, but what is this?" while another admitted: "I can't defend this one"

Still, not everyone was upset. Some of his supporters seemed to enjoy the joke, calling it "hilarious" and labeling Trump as "the ultimate troll".

"Funniest president ever," one fan wrote. Another added: "This is why they hate you but this is why we love you."

And while the image might have caught people off guard, it didn’t come out of nowhere.

Just a few days earlier, during a conversation with reporters outside the White House, Trump made a remark about who he’d want to see step into the role of Pope. "I'd like to be pope — that'd be my number one choice," he said.

That offhand comment — which now feels less like a joke and more like a teaser — quickly picked up steam on social media.

"A convicted pope," one person tweeted.

"Let me guess, 'I'd be a better pope than any past pope'," another chimed in.

Someone else added: "If he becomes pope, then perhaps there will be historic changes in the religious system."

And one more user summed up the whole situation with: "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?"

This controversy comes on the heels of Trump’s heavily criticized appearance at Pope Francis’ funeral, where many took issue with his choice to wear a blue suit instead of the traditional black, and for chewing gum during the service.

The Vatican conclave is scheduled to begin on May 7 in the Sistine Chapel. Over 100 cardinals will meet in secret to choose the next Pope. While there's no official rule against joking about becoming pope, the real criteria include being male, unmarried, at least 35 years old, and — an important detail — Catholic.

Papal candidates are also expected to have studied theology, canon law, or the Bible.

But judging by Trump’s AI papal post, it looks like he’s already imagined himself in the role — robes and all.