Donald Trump has again sparked controversy by posting an AI-generated image of himself as the pope. On May 2, he shared the photo on Truth Social just 11 days after Pope Francis died and six days after attending the funeral. The image showed Trump in white and gold papal robes, holding up one finger, with no caption.

The post drew sharp criticism. One viral response on X (formerly Twitter) read, *“It’s full-on lunacy at this point.”* Commentator Harry Sisson added, *“Instead of working to bring down costs, he’s doing this instead… you elected a man-child.”* Others called the post disrespectful, especially so soon after the pope’s death. One user wrote, *“It’s not even funny… it’s actually disrespectful.”*

Supporters, however, dismissed it as a joke, accusing critics of *“taking the bait.”*

Days earlier, Trump had joked, *“I’d like to be pope,”* when asked who should replace Pope Francis.

This isn’t his first AI-related controversy. In February, Trump posted a fake video showing Gaza as a luxury resort, complete with a golden Trump statue and the slogan: *“No more tunnels, no more fear / Trump Gaza is finally here!”*