Trump Deletes AI Image of Himself as Jesus After Widespread Backlash
Faced with escalating criticism, U.S. President Donald Trump removed a contentious Truth Social post yesterday that featured an AI-generated image portraying him as a Jesus-like figure. The image, which depicted Trump appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital bed, ignited fierce backlash across the U.S. political spectrum, including from some of his most loyal supporters.
Controversy Over Image and Pope Remarks
The deletion came amidst a broader controversy involving Trump's remarks about Pope Leo XIV, which Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni labeled as "unacceptable." In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump accused the pontiff of being "WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy," later telling reporters he was "not a big fan." Meloni responded in a statement, asserting, "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to condemn every form of war."
The AI image was posted just hours after Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV, a vocal opponent of the U.S. and Israeli military operation in Iran. Following Trump's comments, the Pope told reporters en route to Algeria that he preferred not to engage in a debate with Trump but would continue advocating for peace.
Details of the AI-Generated Image
The now-deleted image showed Trump wearing a white robe, with a glowing hand placed on the forehead of a sick man, reminiscent of religious paintings depicting Jesus healing the infirm. The background included elements such as the Statue of Liberty, a large U.S. flag, fighter jets, an eagle, a nurse, a woman praying, and a soldier in uniform. Trump later explained to reporters that he believed the image portrayed him as a doctor alongside a Red Cross worker, stating, "It's supposed to be as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better."
Swift Criticism from Various Quarters
Criticism of the image was immediate and widespread. Sean Feucht, a Christian activist involved in faith-based events for the U.S. Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary, wrote, "This should be deleted immediately. There's no context where this is acceptable." Riley Gaines, a prominent conservative activist, added, "God shall not be mocked." Faith-based U.S. news outlets also condemned the post; David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network noted, "This goes too far. It crosses the line. A supporter can back the mission and reject this."
Broader Context and Previous Incidents
This incident is not the first time Trump's Truth Social has faced scrutiny. In February, a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was posted to his account and later removed. Initially, the White House defended it as an "internet meme video" and urged critics to "stop the fake outrage," but after backlash from Republican senators, the post was deleted, with officials attributing it to a staffer's error.
Trump did not apologize for the AI image or his remarks about the Pope. At the White House, he reiterated, "Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I'm doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result." The Pope, the first American Pope, has consistently condemned the war in Iran, describing it as leading to "absurd and inhuman violence," and stated on Monday that he has "no fear" of the Trump administration or "speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel."
