US bishop demands Trump apologise for AI pope picture

"This is deeply offensive to Catholics especially during this sacred time that we are still mourning the death of Pope Francis," US Bishop Thomas Paprocki from the US state of Illinois said in a post on social media platform X.  

"By publishing a picture of himself masquerading as the Pope, President Trump mocks God, the Catholic Church, and the Papacy."  

The Vatican has not yet issued an official comment on Trump's papal image, which Trump published on his profile on his Truth Social network on Saturday and which was also shared by the official White House account on X. 

It shows him wearing the white robe known as a cassock typically worn by the leader of the Catholic Church, as well as golden chain with a cross around his neck and an elaborately decorated mitre as a headpiece. 

Trump had earlier joked that he himself would be his "number one" for the next pope. Following the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church is preparing to elect a new leader. The conclave of eligible cardinals begins on Wednesday.