Politics
NEW: Fox News Reporter Under Fire For ‘Garbage’ Question To Trump
President Donald Trump brushed off a question from Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich on Monday after she pressed him over a meme showing him dressed as the Pope—an image that had been posted by the official White House account.
During a press gaggle, Heinrich raised concerns about the viral AI-generated image of Trump seated on a throne in full papal regalia. “Some Catholics were not so happy about the image of you looking like the Pope,” she began.
Trump immediately interrupted, shifting the target. “Oh, I see. You mean they can’t take a joke? You don’t mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it,” Trump said. “I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the Internet.”
He continued, saying he only saw the image the night before and denied any involvement. “Maybe it was AI. But I know nothing about it. Actually, my wife thought it was cute. She said, ‘Isn’t that nice?’”
Heinrich then attempted to press further: “My question, though, sir, was about the fact that it was put out on the White House account, even though it was AI generated.”
Trump waved off the concern. “It was a meme,” he said flatly, before brushing off the entire line of questioning: “Give me a break. It was just somebody did it in fun… Have to have a little fun, don’t you?”
WATCH:
Critics online accused Heinrich of pushing a “garbage narrative,” with several conservative commentators blasting the question as out of touch and humorless.
The meme in question, an AI-generated image depicting Trump as the Pope, was originally posted to his Truth Social account on May 2, 2025. It came in the wake of Pope Francis’ funeral and just days before the Vatican’s conclave to elect a new pontiff. The image was later shared by the official @WhiteHouse account on X, drawing over 100 million views in less than 48 hours.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 3, 2025
For Trump, the moment appeared to bolster his ongoing narrative that the press is out of touch with the public and unable to recognize levity. “It’s fine,” he said with a smirk at the end of the exchange. “Have to have a little fun, don’t you?”
Vice President JD Vance is pushing back hard against critics of President Trump after a digitally altered image of Trump dressed as the Pope made the rounds online. The AI-generated photo, which some took issue with for its perceived irreverence, sparked backlash across social media — especially among a handful of Catholic commentators.
But Vance, a Catholic convert himself, dismissed the outrage in blunt terms.
As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen. https://t.co/2WQPsofVIH
— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 3, 2025
“As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,” he wrote on X Saturday, replying to a post that asked if he condoned “this disrespect and mocking of the holy father.”
The post he responded to came from Bill Kristol, a former adviser in the George W. Bush administration and a longtime supporter of the Iraq War — a detail that appeared to motivate Vance’s sharp response. His “stupid wars” remark was widely interpreted as a jab at Kristol’s neoconservative legacy.
