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US President Donald Trump has deleted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure after it sparked backlash from Christian leaders and some of his most loyal conservative supporters. The image, posted on Trump's Truth Social platform on Sunday, showed him in a white robe placing a hand on the forehead of a sick man, with a glow around his hand and symbols such as the Statue of Liberty, fireworks, a fighter jet and eagles in the background.

Trump later said he thought the image depicted him as a doctor, not as a religious figure. "I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with the Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support," he told reporters at the White House on Monday. "It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better."

The deletion came after a series of posts in which Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV, calling him "WEAK on crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy". The pope has criticised the US-Israeli war on Iran as inhumane and has called for peace and dialogue. The feud has drawn attention from across the political spectrum, with several outlets noting the unusual nature of a public dispute between a US president and the pope.

Coverage Comparison

Multiple news organisations have reported on the incident, with consistent accounts of the key events: Trump posted the image on Sunday, it was deleted on Monday, and Trump said it was meant to show him as a doctor. The backlash from Christian leaders and conservative figures has been widely covered, with several sources naming specific individuals who criticised the post.

ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Dawn, France 24 and The Guardian all reported that the image drew criticism from Christian leaders and conservative figures. Al Jazeera and The Guardian noted that some of Trump's usually loyal supporters were among those who condemned the post. France 24 reported that the image was deleted after backlash from Christian supporters.

The image itself was described similarly across sources: a painting-like, AI-generated picture of Trump in a white robe, touching the forehead of a seemingly sick man. Some sources noted additional details, such as a glowing orb in one hand, the Statue of Liberty in the background, and, in one version described by The Guardian, a demonic figure that had been photoshopped into the image.

Trump's explanation that the image was meant to show him as a doctor was reported by all outlets, with direct quotes from his comments to reporters. Al Jazeera and France 24 also reported that the pope responded to Trump's attacks, saying he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out against war.

The feud between Trump and Pope Leo has been described as escalating, with the pope having criticised the US-Israeli war on Iran. Several sources noted that the pope's criticism of the war, and his calls for peace, were the context for Trump's posts. The Guardian reported that Trump's post could create a rift between him and the religious right, whose support was critical to his 2024 election victory.

Key Claims

  • Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure on Truth Social. The image was shared on Sunday and showed Trump in a white robe with a healing hand on a sick man's head. The post was subsequently deleted on Monday. This has been reported by ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Dawn, France 24 and The Guardian.
  • The image sparked backlash from Christian leaders and conservative figures. Criticism came from various quarters, including some of Trump's most loyal supporters. Among those quoted in the coverage were Riley Gaines, a Fox News host; Megan Basham, a writer at the conservative Daily Wire; and Brilyn Hollyhand, who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee Youth Advisory Council. They described the image as "blasphemy" and "disgusting and unacceptable". Other Christian leaders, including Minnesota Bishop Robert Barron and Archbishop Paul Coakley, criticised Trump's remarks about the pope and called for an apology.
  • Trump claimed the image was meant to depict him as a doctor. He told reporters that he thought the image showed him as a doctor or a Red Cross worker, and that he "make[s] people better". This explanation was reported by all sources, though some noted the irony given the image's religious imagery.
  • The image was deleted after backlash. Multiple sources reported that the post was taken down on Monday morning, following criticism from Christian supporters. The deletion was notable because Trump rarely removes even provocative posts, as France 24 observed.
  • Pope Leo XIV criticised Trump's comments and the war in Iran. The pope responded to Trump's attacks by saying he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out against war and for peace. He also criticised "neocolonial" world powers in a speech in Algiers, without specifically naming the United States. These comments were reported by Al Jazeera, France 24 and The Guardian.

Perspectives

The material includes several distinct viewpoints from named parties.

Donald Trump (US President): Trump defended the image as a depiction of himself as a doctor, not a religious figure. He also defended his attacks on Pope Leo, saying the pope was "weak on crime" and that he would not apologise because "Pope Leo said things that are wrong". He also said he preferred the pope's brother, whom he called "a big MAGA person".

Pope Leo XIV: The pope responded to Trump's attacks by saying he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out against war and for peace. He criticised the war in Iran as inhumane and called for dialogue and multilateral solutions to problems.

Christian leaders and conservative supporters: Various Christian leaders and conservative commentators criticised the image and Trump's remarks about the pope. Bishop Robert Barron, a member of the president's Religious Liberty Commission, said the president's statements were "entirely inappropriate and disrespectful" and that he owed the pope an apology. Archbishop Paul Coakley said he was "disheartened" by Trump's words. Conservative commentators such as Riley Gaines and Megan Basham called the image "blasphemy" and demanded its removal.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: Meloni issued a statement in defence of the pope, though the full content of her statement was not included in the material provided.