Donald Trump has said the Catholics “loved it” when he shared an AI image of himself dressed as the Pope.

The US president on Friday posted the fake image of himself dressed in papal regalia to his Truth Social platform.

The picture depicted the president draped in white robes while wearing a gold crucifix and mitre hat and pointing his right index finger to the sky.

The post was branded insulting by some Catholics.

Mr Trump defended his actions on Monday, blaming the “fake news media” for whipping up a furore and saying the first lady, Melania Trump, thought it was “cute”.

He said at the White House: “You mean they can’t take a joke? You don’t mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. Not the Catholics, they loved it.”