Former US President Donald Trump reportedly removed a controversial Truth Social post that depicted him as a Jesus-like figure, following widespread criticism. The AI-generated image showed Trump appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital bed, drawing fierce backlash from across the US political spectrum, including some of his staunch supporters. The post emerged hours after Trump had published a lengthy message criticizing Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of US and Israeli military operations in Iran.
Trump acknowledged posting the picture, initially telling reporters he believed it showed him “as a doctor.” The now-deleted image featured Trump in a white robe, with a glowing hand on the forehead of a sick man, a pose critics likened to religious paintings of Jesus healing the infirm. The image’s background included symbols such as the Statue of Liberty, a large US flag, fighter jets, an eagle, a nurse, a praying woman, and a soldier.
Several hours after its removal, Trump reiterated that he thought the image depicted him as a doctor alongside a Red Cross worker. He stated, “It’s supposed to be as a doctor making people better… And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.” He later informed CBS News that he removed the image to avoid confusion, noting, “People were confused.”
Criticism was swift, even from individuals considered close to Trump. Christian activist Sean Feucht called for its immediate deletion, stating, “There’s no context where this is acceptable.” Conservative activist Riley Gaines commented, “God shall not be mocked.” Faith-based US news outlets also weighed in, with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network writing, “This goes too far. It crosses the line. A supporter can back the mission and reject this.”
The controversial image was posted less than an hour after Trump’s separate critique of Pope Leo XIV, whom he called “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.” Pope Leo, the first American Pope, has repeatedly condemned the war in Iran, describing it as leading to “absurd and inhuman violence.” The Pope affirmed his lack of fear of the Trump administration and his commitment to “speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel.”
Speaking at the White House, Trump did not apologize, asserting that “Pope Leo said things that are wrong” regarding Iran. This AI-generated image is not the first instance of criticism stemming from Trump’s Truth Social account; a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was posted and later removed in February, initially defended by the White House before being attributed to a staffer’s error.
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