The archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, speaks to EWTN News on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. / Credit: EWTN News/screenshot
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 5, 2025 / 14:57 pm (CNA).
CatholicleadersandsomemembersoftheChurchhierarchyintheUnitedStateshavecriticizedPresidentDonaldTrumpforsharinganAI-generatedimageofhimselfdressedasapope.
Trump,whofrequentlysharesmemesofhimselfonsocialmedia,postedtheimagetoTruthSocialonFridayafterjokingthathewouldliketobechosenasthenextpope.TheWhiteHousesubsequentlypostedthephotoonitsofficialXaccount.
Thesocialmediapostscamejustdaysafterthepresidentsaidhewould“liketobepope”whenareporteraskedhimwhohehopesisselectedforthepapacyintheupcomingpapalconclave. Aspartofhisresponsetothatsamequestion,hewentontosayheactuallyhad“nopreference”whilealsotoutingCardinalTimothyDolanofNewYorkasa“verygood”candidate.
Trump’slatestjokeaboutthematterreceivedpushbackfromsomeCatholicleaders,includingDolan,BishopRobertBarron,BishopThomasPaprocki,andt
