US President Donald Trump has attracted criticism after publishing a portrait of him on his social network showing him dressed in papal hold. The image has probably been generated by artificial intelligence.
“There is nothing intelligent or fun in this image, Mr. President,” wrote the Catholic Conference of New York on the social network X. “We have just built our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to start a solemn conclave to elect a new successor to Saint Peter. Do not make fun of us,” added the institution, which represents the bishops of the fourth state of the United States.
“It is a deep offense, for me and my Catholic fellow citizens in the world, while we mourn our beloved Pope Francis,” added the Democratic governor of this State, Kathy Hochul, still on X.
Gold cross around the neck
The color photo broadcast on Truth Social shows the President of the United States seated the solemn air in an armchair, the closed face, dressed in the pope’s white cassock, wearing the miter, sporting the imposing gold cross around the neck, the left hand placed on its thigh and right index raised to the sky.
The image was then rebroadcast by the Official Account of the White House on X.
Since his return to the White House on January 20, Donald Trump has saturated the American and world media space with announcements and comments on all subjects. He had joked earlier this week on the election of the next chief of the 1.4 billion Catholics, a religious minority in the United States.
“I would like to be a pope. It would be my number one choice,” he said, questioned by journalists about his preferences for the successor of François, who died on April 21, Easter Monday, at the age of 88.
Conclave May 7
Some 20% of Americans declare themselves Catholics and exit polls of the ballot box had indicated in November that they had voted at around 60% in favor of Donald Trump.
Part of this Catholic electorate, especially from Latin America, expresses hope that a more conservative Pope will succeed François considered a progressive on social issues.
From May 7, 133 cardinals from all over the world, aged under the age of 80 and therefore authorized to elect the Pope, will meet for a conclave to the Vatican in camera in order to choose a successor to François
HKR with agencies
