Donald Trump published on his social network a portrait of him showing him dressed in papal outfit, an image taken up by the White House which attracted criticism, a few days before the Conclave to the Vatican who will eliminate the successor of François. In France, personalities like Jean-Luc Mélenchon or Cyril Hanouna were also transformed into church men using AI.
Presumably generated by artificial intelligence, the color photo broadcast Friday on its social network Truth Social shows the president of the United States seated the solemn air in an armchair, the closed face, dressed in the white cassock of the pope, wearing the miter, sporting the imposing gold cross around the neck, left hand placed on its thigh and right index raised to the sky. She 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 1.4 billion Catholics, a religious minority in the United States. “I would like to be pope. It would be my number one choice”he had launched, questioned by journalists about his preferences for the successor of François, who died on April 21, Easter Monday, at the age of 88. The assembly broadcast on social networks was denounced on Saturday as a lack of respect for the figure of the deceased sovereign pontiff.
“There is nothing intelligent or fun in this image, Mr. President”wrote on X the Catholic Conference of New York State. “We have just built our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to start a solemn conclave to elect a new successor from Saint Peter. Do not make fun of us”added the institution, which represents the bishops of the fourth state of the United States. “It’s 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.
The day before his death, the Pope had briefly received, on Easter Sunday, the American vice-president JD Vance, a converted Catholic and very conservative, two months after the strong criticism of François against the policy of expulsion of immigrants by the Trump administration. He had warned against a “Major crisis” Who “Start badly and will end badly”. 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.
In France, the death of Pope Francis also gave ideas to some. This is how to quickly circulated on social networks of images created clearly with artificial intelligence featuring personalities like Jean-Luc Mélenchon or Cyril Hanouna. The first pretending to explain that “the pope is me!”, And the second reminiscent that he had become “the pope of the PAF”. Potache humor. And images that have become as viral as that of Trump dressed in Pope.
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 at the Vatican behind closed doors in order to choose a successor to François.
