DONALD Trump posted a bizarre AI picture of him as the Pope after joking that he would be a top choice for the Pontiff.
The US President joked that he would like to become the in an interview on Tuesday.
In the image posted on Truth Social Trump sits on a regal throne dressed in papal robes.
The US President has swapped his iconic red MAGA cap for the papal crown, and wears a large cross around his neck.
The bizarre post comes after Trump joked that he would be a strong contender for the late Pontiff’s replacement.
Trump said: “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice.”;
When asked about who should succeed the late he said: “No, I don’t know, I have no preference.
“I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called , who’s very good.
“So we’ll see what happens.”;
The cardinal is widely believed to be Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
The Archbishop of New York is the only American considered a serious candidate.
A staunch conservative, Dolan has vocally opposed contraception and condemned the removal of controversial statues during the 2020 protests.
Dolan took his vows in 1976 and was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
While Trump’s remark was made in jest, it’s a technical impossibility.
The spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics must be elected from the College of Cardinals, and Trump is not – and never has been – a cardinal.
Currently, around 135 cardinals under the age of 80 arein the papal conclave, a centuries-old process steeped in tradition.
They’ll travel from around the world to the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where thenextleader of the Catholic Church will be chosen in a series of ballots.
While the process of choosing Francis’ successor is highly secretive, several cardinals have been identified as.
They include‘s Pietro Parolin, the Philippines’ Luis Antonio Tagle,Hungary’sPeterErdoandGhana’s Peter Turkson.
aged 88 after fighting for his life in a “complex”;battle.
had been hospitalised for weeks at the Gemellihospitalinearlier this year after.
He was discharged on March 23 after the 38-day stay, and was.
But just hours later, Vatican officials announced the leader of the Catholic Church had passed away.
Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in a statement: “At 7:35this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.”;
