Trump, Pope’s Composite Photo Controversy
Trump Dismisses AI Pope Image Controversy as a Joke
WASHINGTON - Former U.S. President Donald Trump has downplayed the recent controversy surrounding AI-generated images depicting him as the Pope, wich where shared on his social media account. Trump described the situation as a “joke” during a recent press briefing.
The images, which surfaced online and were subsequently reposted by trump, drew criticism from some quarters, notably among Catholics, given thier perceived insensitivity following the recent passing of Pope Francis.
“I have nothing to do with the picture. Someone made my picture like a pope, and they distributed it on the Internet,” Trump stated. “I was probably artificial intelligence (AI), but I didn’t know anything.” He suggested that his sharing of the images, which were already circulating online, should not be considered problematic.
Trump also commented on his wife, Melania, who is known to be Catholic. “I actually thought my wife (Melania) was cute,” he said, referencing her attendance at Pope Francis’s funeral last month.
The controversy arose after trump posted an AI-generated image on his social media platform, Truso Schi, depicting him as the Pope. The post came shortly after Pope Francis’s death, leading to accusations of insensitivity from some Catholics and others.
Trump made the remarks during a press conference announcing that the national Football League (NFL) rookie draft would be held at the National Mall in Washington in 2027. The NFL draft, an annual event as 1936, takes place every April and is broadcast nationally.
