Truth behind viral Donald Trump and Pope Francis video as resurfaced footage sparks major debate
Topics: News, Pope Francis, US News, Donald Trump, Social Media, Twitter
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Vatican Pool/Getty Images/ABC
Topics: News, Pope Francis, US News, Donald Trump, Social Media, Twitter
The internet has given us many things, with TikTok, endless cat videos, cute memes and more, but in the age of AI it can be hard to tell what is true and what's not.
In the wake of the death of Pope Francis, a video featuring him and Donald Trump has gone viral again.
People are arguing over whether or not the events pictured actually took place.
In the shared footage, which has rapidly gone viral, the clip appears to show Pope Francis swatting away Donald Trump's hand as he attempted to touch the Pope's finger.
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The bottom of the footage shows a CNN logo, making it seem like the footage is from the news channel.
According to The Dispatch Fact Check, a spokesperson for CNN said 'the video is fabricated.'
Baldwin also shared the original CNN footage from March 2017.
It originates from an occasion when Trump met Pope Francis at the Vatican.
The real footage does not feature the Pope slapping Trump's hand away, much to the disappointment of social media users who had been hoping the funny video was true.
The altered footage originated from a skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live, based on the genuine meeting.
One social media user wrote: "Did Trump actually play with Pope Francis hand on this short GIF?"
Another asked: "Did the one with Trump actually happen??" while one user demanded: "Is this real?"
"Excuse just wait a minute... you are saying this happened??? this is not an edit?? all this time this was real?" argued one fan, while another pleaded "I so want this to be real. Please let it be real."
Another replied: "AI can do everything!"
Others turned to Grok, the AI interface on X to ask for the truth.
It replied: "That GIF showing an interaction between Trump's and Pope Francis's hands isn't actually real footage. It was created as part of a comedy skit for 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' back in 2017, and the original video of their meeting doesn't show that happening."
One fan went into more detail: "I am not an AI but I think I can provide some context: The meeting did occur, but the close up to the hands touching was added as part of a skit within the monologue of Jimmy Kimmel in his late night show. Very fun, but nah, then hand part did not happen."
"Thanks! You gave more detail than AI did," joked one X user.
Others were disappointed because they love the video so much: "I scream every time I see this it looks like some sibling s*** to me lol."
Vice President JD Vance met Pope Francis the day before his death, and the subject of their conversation has now been revealed.
Catholics around the world are now observing a period of mourning before the process to choose the Pope's successor will take place.
Onlookers will be waiting to see if black or white smoke emerges from the chimney at the Vatican to say whether the decision has been made.