U.S. President Donald Trump posted a photo on his social media (SNS) account that combined his face with the Pope's outfit, and after facing criticism, he said, 'I was not involved in its creation.'
On the 5th (local time), at a sports-related event at the White House, when asked about this matter, President Trump said, 'I have nothing to do with that photo,' adding, 'Someone created and distributed that image.'
He further described the image as 'a joke,' saying, 'Maybe artificial intelligence (AI) created the photo, but I knew nothing about it.'
It seems he expressed that since he simply posted the already distributed photo on his SNS account, there is no issue.
President Trump also joked, 'Actually, my wife (Melania) thought it was cute, and if I had actually become the Pope, I would not have been able to marry.'
Earlier, when President Trump posted the image on his SNS Truth Social on the 2nd, the Catholic community and believers criticized him, pointing out that it was shortly after the death of Pope Francis, suggesting that President Trump mocked Catholic believers.
In response, Matteo Bruni, the Holy See Spokesperson, declined to comment.