The now-deleted image, posted late Sunday, appeared to be AI-generated and showed Trump in a white robe placing a glowing hand on a sick man lying in a hospital bed, imagery critics said closely resembled religious depictions of Jesus healing the infirm.
The background featured patriotic and military symbols, including the Statue of Liberty, fighter jets, an eagle, a large US flag, and figures such as a nurse, a praying woman and a soldier. The post came within hours of Trump launching a sharp attack on Pope Leo XIV, who has been vocal against US and Israeli military actions in Iran.
Also read: Trump posts AI image of himself as Jesus-like figure, drawing outrage
The controversy comes amid an escalating feud between the White House and the Vatican over the Iran conflict. Trump has refused to apologise for his remarks against Pope Leo XIV, saying there was “nothing to apologise for” and accusing the pontiff of being “very weak on crime” and wrong in opposing US actions against Iran, while reiterating that Tehran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
The Pope, meanwhile, pushed back, asserting he has “no fear” of the Trump administration and emphasising the Church’s moral duty to speak out against war and advocate for peace.
Despite Trump’s clarification that the image showed him “next to a Red Cross worker” and symbolised healing“, I make people a lot better,” the post triggered swift backlash across the political spectrum, including from his own supporters.
Conservative commentator Megan Basham termed the image “outrageous blasphemy”, urging Trump to take it down. Christian activist Sean Feucht said there was “no context where this is acceptable”, while Riley Gaines wrote that “God shall not be mocked”. David Brody added that the post “crosses the line”.
Criticism also came from political allies. Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Trump of attacking the pope on Orthodox Easter before sharing an image suggesting he was “replacing Jesus”, calling the move unacceptable.
This is not the first such instance. In May 2025, Trump had shared another AI-generated image portraying himself as a Catholic pope following the death of Pope Francis, drawing sharp criticism from the New York State Catholic Conference, which said, “There is nothing clever or funny about this image… Do not mock us.”
