The White House surprised many on Friday by posting an image of President Donald Trump dressed as the pope on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The post quickly gained attention, generating both criticism and humor across the internet.
The image shows Trump wearing traditional papal attire, including a white robe, a pope’s hat, and a crucifix necklace, while seated and pointing his index finger upward. This photo appeared not only on the official White House page but also on Trump’s Truth Social and Instagram accounts.
Earlier this week, Trump jokingly suggested to reporters that he’d like to become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church following the recent death of Pope Francis. “That would be my number one choice,” he remarked.
The online reaction was mixed. Some critics called the image offensive, especially coming from an official government platform. One user wrote, “I’m not even Catholic, but I find this deeply inappropriate.” A political group called Republicans Against Trump tweeted, “It’s full-on lunacy at this point.”
Still, some users laughed it off, posting memes and light-hearted comments. “Trump!! 😂 wicked,” one X user commented.
Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, April 21, due to a stroke and heart failure, according to a death certificate issued by the Vatican and reported by Reuters. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the funeral at the Vatican on April 26.
The papal conclave, the secret election to choose the next pope, is scheduled for May 7. During this closed-door event in the Sistine Chapel, 135 cardinals will vote to select the next head of the Catholic Church.
