US President Donald Trump posted a spoof image of himself dressed as the pope on Friday via his Truth Social platform, shortly after joking with reporters that he would like to become the next Catholic pontiff.

The image, which appears to be AI-generated, shows Trump in traditional papal regalia, including white robes, a gold crucifix pendant, and a miter, with his right index finger raised toward the sky.

The post quickly circulated online and followed Trump's offhand remark earlier in the week, expressing interest in the papacy, a position he acknowledged jokingly.

Trump's statement came just days before cardinals are expected to begin the conclave in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.

When asked by reporters about his preferred candidate to succeed Francis, Trump responded, "I'd like to be pope, that would be my number one choice."

He added that he had no strong preference but noted that there was a cardinal in New York who was "very good," seemingly referring to Archbishop Timothy Dolan, known for his conservative theological stance and vocal opposition to abortion.

Trump’s history with the Catholic Church

Trump's relationship with the Catholic Church has at times been tense, while Pope Francis has been a vocal critic of Trump during his first presidency, particularly over his immigration policies.

In 2016, when Trump was campaigning for the presidency, Francis remarked, “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian.”

Trump attended the funeral of Pope Francis last week in what marked his first official foreign trip since returning to power.

Approximately 20 percent of Americans identify as Catholic. Exit polls from the most recent election in November showed that about 60 percent of Catholic voters supported Trump.

His latest remarks and social media posts may be aimed, in part, at engaging this segment of his base as he continues to shape his political narrative heading into future elections.

While his suggestion of wanting to become pope was made in jest, the timing, coinciding with the death of Pope Francis and the upcoming papal conclave, adds a layer of symbolism to the image and the statement.