ROME – U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York commented on President Donald Trump’s posting of an AI-generated photo portraying himself as the pope during a Mass in Rome on Sunday. Dolan stated that the post “wasn’t good” but refrained from stating whether an apology from the White House was necessary. The controversial image, shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform and later reposted by the White House, depicted Trump in papal attire with a raised finger in an ornate chair. Dolan expressed his disapproval of the image, using the Italian term “brutta figura” to describe it. When questioned about the need for the post to be removed and the possibility of an apology, Dolan responded with uncertainty in Italian, saying, “Who knows?” Trump’s jest about becoming pope and his suggestion of Dolan as a potential candidate were met with mixed reactions, with some finding humor in the situation and others condemning the portrayal as disrespectful during a time of mourning and papal succession. The image sparked outrage among social media users and Catholic leaders, with the Catholic bishops of New York expressing their disappointment in a statement. The incident was widely covered by Italian media, eliciting a range of reactions from the public, from dismissal to criticism. Tourists and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square also shared differing opinions on the matter, with some finding it ridiculous and others defending it as a harmless joke.
