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.