Fact Check: Did Bill Clinton slam Trump for his comments against the Pope?

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the tensions between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV over the conflict in Iran, a rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that former President Bill Clinton criticized Trump for his comments on the pope, triggering speculations. Let us analyze the viral rumor and fact-check the claim.

Claim: Bill Clinton addressed Donald Trump's criticisms against Pope Leo XIV

The claim appeared as a YouTube video surfaced claiming to feature an authentic audio of Clinton addressing Trump's criticism of Pope Leo.

According to the title of the video, Clinton allegedly said, "Most people don't realize Trump just lost the Catholic vote."

The claim has also spread on other social media platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest. 

Comments under the video suggest that users believed that the former president said it during an interview or podcast, while a few others questioned the authenticity of the claim.

Fact Check: Fake, the audio is AI-generated

However, the audio in the viral video is fake and generated with artificial intelligence. The thumbnail image also featured AI-generated images.

A search on Google for the claim yielded no credible results, which, if true, would have been widely covered by prominent news media outlets.

The video first appeared on the Clarity Brief YouTube channel on April 13, whose videos displayed YouTube ads that likely generate revenue for the channel's owner.

Also, a search for the video’s title on ‘Catholic vote’ did not appear in the video.

The video had a label for "altered or synthetic content," which creators can add when they upload. Its thumbnail displayed two manipulated images: one showed the pope pointing angrily, and the other depicted Trump as Jesus Christ. He had shared that image on Truth Social before deleting it.

Donald Trump softens tone with Pope Leo XIV

The series of attacks and counterattacks between Trump and Pope Leo appears to be halting as Trump thinks disagreement is fine. 

Dialing down his week-long feud with the pope, Trump said it was ok if two of them had different opinions and approaches towards world problems. 

Over the week, Trump and Pope Leo XIV exchanged barbs in statements to the press and on social media about the war with Iran. Trump called Pope ‘weak’ on crimes and nuclear weapons, and the Pontiff replied that he has “no fear” of speaking out.

“I’m not fighting with him,” Trump said. “The pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree.”