Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked controversy after posting an image on Instagram portraying himself dressed as the Pope, just days before the Catholic Church begins its official conclave to elect a successor to the late Pope Francis.
The photo, uploaded on Trump’s verified Instagram account @realdonaldtrump, showed him wearing the traditional white papal cassock, a crucifix necklace, and a white camauro-style hat, with one finger raised in a gesture often associated with religious blessing.
Adding to the stir, the official White House Instagram account @whitehouse also reposted the image. The post has drawn thousands of comments, many of them sharply critical. Social media users accused Trump of disrespecting religious traditions and overstepping moral boundaries.
The controversial post followed remarks Trump made last week in a lighthearted exchange with reporters, where he joked about becoming the next pope after Pope Francis passed away on April 21.
When asked who he would like to see as the new head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Trump responded with a grin, “I would be the Pope. That would be my number one choice.”
He went on to say he had “no particular preference” regarding the next pontiff but praised an American cardinal. “We have a cardinal who happens to be from a place called New York and he’s a very good man. So we’ll see what happens,” Trump said, referencing Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
While Dolan is not considered a frontrunner in the upcoming papal conclave, another American, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of New Jersey, has emerged as a potential candidate, according to Vatican observers.
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Earlier, cardinals from around the world are scheduled to convene in Vatican City on Wednesday, May 7, to begin the secretive process of electing a new pope. Of the 252 cardinals representing 90 nations, 135 are eligible to vote. Among them is Indonesia’s Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo.
As the Catholic Church prepares to select its new spiritual leader, global attention remains fixed on the Vatican. Meanwhile, Trump’s social media post has once again spark controversy.
(Raidi/Agung)
