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X/White HouseUS President Donald Trump has criticized the Catholics after placing himself as a pope.
The picture, which was shared by the official accounting records in the social media of the White House, comes when the Catholics mourn the death of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, and is preparing for the next pantiff.
The Catholic Conference of New York accused Trump of mockery. The message comes a few days after he joked to the journalists: “I would like to be a pope.”
Trump is not the first president accused of mockery of Catholic faith. Former US President Joe Biden has caused outrage a year ago when a cross was made at a rally to access abortion in Tampa, Florida.
Vatican’s press secretary Matteo Bruni refused to answer questions about Trump’s post during a briefing with journalists on Saturday. The Vatican is preparing to take a conclave to select the successor of Francis since Wednesday.
In the picture, located Trump on Friday night, he wears a white helmet and a pointed miter, traditionally wears by the bishop. He wears a big cross on his neck, and his finger rose, with a solemn expression.
The Catholic Conference of New York, representing the bishops in New York, came to X to criticize the picture.
“There is nothing intelligent and ridiculous in this image, Mr. president,” the group writes.
“We just buried our beloved Pope Francis, and the cardinals are going to enter the solemn conclave to choose the new successor of St. Peter. Don’t make sure us.”
Left Italian former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi also undermined Trump.
“This is an image that offends the believers, insults the institutions and shows that the leader of the right world uses the clown,” Renzi wrote in Italian in X.
But the White House rejected any proposal that the Republican president is mocking the papacy.
“President Trump flew to Italy to give respect to Pope Francis and attending his funeral, and he was a supporter of the champion of Catholics and religious freedom,” said Caroly Levit, secretary.
