You’ve probably seen it by now. That image of Donald Trump decked out in full papal regalia—the white cassock, the gold-trimmed mitre, the whole nine yards. It’s the kind of thing that makes you do a double-take while scrolling through your feed. People were losing their minds. Some thought it was hilarious; others were absolutely livid, calling it the height of disrespect. But let’s be real for a second: did Donald Trump actually put on the robes?
No. He didn't.
But the story of how that image blew up—and why it actually matters—is a wild ride through the weirdest corners of modern politics and technology. We’re living in an era where "seeing is believing" is basically a dead concept. When Trump dresses as the pope in a digital render, it triggers a global news cycle faster than a real press conference ever could.
The Viral Moment: AI Meets the Vatican
In May 2025, just days before the papal conclave was set to begin, a photo of Donald Trump in papal attire started circulating on Truth Social. It wasn't just a random meme from a fan account either. Trump himself shared the image, and shortly after, the official White House account on X (formerly Twitter) reposted it.
The timing couldn't have been more sensitive. Pope Francis had passed away just eleven days prior on April 21, 2025, from a stroke at the age of 88. The Catholic world was in a period of deep mourning. Cardinals were literally packing their bags for Rome to elect a successor. And there was Trump, digitally draped in the robes of St. Peter.
Honestly, the image was high-quality. It depicted a stern-looking Trump sitting in what looked like the coronation chair, holding up one finger as if making a point. He wore a white and gold mitre—though technical experts pointed out it was actually a bishop's hat, not a traditional papal tiara—and a large cross necklace.
Why the Backlash Was So Intense
The reaction was swift and, in many places, brutal. The New York State Catholic Conference didn't hold back. They posted on X: "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President. We just buried our beloved Pope Francis... Do not mock us."
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Across the pond, former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called it "shameful," accusing Trump of "clowning around" while the global economy faced serious risks. Even Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York and someone who has generally maintained a cordial relationship with Trump, admitted the image was in "poor taste."
But here’s the kicker: Trump claimed he had nothing to do with making it.
When reporters cornered him in the Oval Office on May 5, he pleaded ignorance. "I have no idea where it came from," he said. "Maybe it was AI. But I know nothing about it." He even mentioned that Melania thought it was "cute." He brushed off the criticism by saying, "The Catholics loved it."
The "Number One Choice" Joke
To understand why anyone would even make an AI image of Trump dresses as the pope, you have to look at what he said just a few days earlier. While leaving the White House for a rally, a reporter asked him who he’d like to see as the next pope.
Trump smiled and quipped, "I'd like to be pope. That would be my number one choice."
It was classic Trump—a joke wrapped in a hyperbolic statement designed to get a reaction. He did eventually follow up by saying he had "no preference," but the "Trump for Pope" seed was already planted in the internet's fertile ground for memes. Within hours, the AI generators were humming.
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The Technical "Tells" of the Image
If you look closely at that viral photo, you can see the cracks in the AI's logic. AI image generators like Midjourney have gotten scarily good, but they still mess up the details of specific religious vestments.
- The Hat: As mentioned, he was wearing a bishop's mitre rather than the traditional papal headwear.
- The Hand: Trump's finger was raised in a way that looked more like an interruption than a traditional Catholic blessing (which usually involves two fingers raised).
- The Cross: The cross he was wearing lacked a crucifix—the figure of Christ—which is a standard element of papal pectoral crosses.
A History of Tension: Trump vs. the Vatican
The reason this "Trump dresses as the pope" moment hit such a nerve is that the relationship between Donald Trump and the Holy See has been, well, complicated.
Back in 2016, Pope Francis famously questioned Trump's Christianity because of his border wall proposal. "A person who only thinks about building walls... and not building bridges, is not Christian," the Pope said. Trump shot back, calling the comment "disgraceful."
They eventually met in May 2017. The photos from that meeting are legendary—Trump is grinning ear to ear while Pope Francis looks like he’d rather be literally anywhere else. Despite the "stiff" start, the Vatican called the meeting "cordial." Francis even joked with Melania, asking her, "What do you give him to eat?"
But by 2025, the tension had returned. Pope Francis had been vocal about his distaste for the administration's mass deportation plans. When he passed away, the vacuum he left was filled with both grief and political maneuvering. Using AI to insert a political figure into that sacred space was seen by many as a step too far.
The Rise of "Pope Leo" and the New Reality
While the world was arguing over a fake photo of Trump, the real conclave moved forward. On May 8, 2025, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals elected Robert Prevost, an American-born cardinal, who took the name Pope Leo XIV.
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The irony wasn't lost on anyone. The U.S. now had an American President and an American Pope at the same time, and they weren't exactly on the same page. Pope Leo XIV almost immediately began criticizing U.S. deportation tactics as "inhumane."
The "Trump as Pope" image wasn't just a one-off joke. It was a sign of things to come. In the following months, we saw AI-generated images of Elon Musk in cardinal robes and even images of Trump as a Roman emperor. It's a new kind of political branding—using "trolling" and AI to dominate the conversation and appeal to a specific "Manoverse" or "traditionalist" base.
How to Spot Political AI Fakes
Honestly, we’re all going to see more of this. Whether it’s Trump dresses as the pope or some other world leader in an impossible situation, the technology is only getting better. Here is how you can stay sharp:
- Check the Source: Did the image come from a reputable news agency like AP or Reuters? If it only exists on social media accounts, be skeptical.
- Look at the Extremities: AI still struggles with fingers, jewelry, and the way fabric meets skin. Look for "melting" textures or extra digits.
- Contextualize the Event: Ask yourself if the event actually happened. Did a major world leader really go through a wardrobe change without a single video or official press photo existing?
- Analyze the Symbols: Religious and official garments have very specific rules. AI often gets the "vibe" right but the "rules" wrong, like the missing crucifix on the papal chain.
The digital world is getting weirder by the day. While the image of Trump in a mitre might have been a "joke" to some, it served as a massive reminder of how easily the line between reality and parody can be blurred. In a world of "Pope Leo" and "Pope Trump" memes, the truth is often a lot less flashy than the fiction.
What you can do next: To protect yourself from being misled by the next viral sensation, start using reverse image search tools like Google Lens or TinEye. When a photo seems too "perfect" or controversial to be true, these tools can help you find the original source or the AI subreddit where it likely originated. Stay skeptical and always look for the "official" angle before hitting the share button.