Lead

US President Donald Trump on Monday deleted a social media post featuring an AI-generated image of himself in a pose reminiscent of Jesus Christ, following an outcry from religious leaders and online mockery. The image, posted on his Truth Social platform, showed Trump in flowing red and white robes, touching the forehead of a sick man, with light emanating from his hands and head. According to multiple reports, including from Al Jazeera and The Hindu, the deletion came after accusations of blasphemy and rare rebuke from some of his most religious followers.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the incident has been consistent across international outlets, though with differing emphases. Al Jazeera reported the deletion and the online backlash, also linking the event to Trump's ongoing feud with Pope Leo XIV over the war on Iran. Deutsche Welle and the South China Morning Post highlighted Trump's defense of the image, with DW noting his claim that it was meant to portray him as a doctor. The Hindu, citing religious leaders' outcry, framed the deletion as a response to blasphemy accusations. South China Morning Post also reported that Trump posted a new image of Jesus embracing him just two days after the deletion, which it linked to his continued criticism of the pope.

Key Claims

  • Trump deleted the AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure after facing backlash and mockery online, as reported by multiple sources.
  • The image depicted Trump in red and white robes, touching the forehead of a sick man, with light radiating from his hands and head, according to descriptions in several reports.
  • Trump claimed the image was meant to portray him as a doctor, saying “I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do Red Cross,” and added, “It's supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better.” This explanation was reported by Deutsche Welle and the South China Morning Post.
  • Trump is feuding with Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born leader of the Catholic Church, over the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, as reported by Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
  • Two days after deleting the first image, Trump posted another AI-generated image showing Jesus embracing him, which he captioned with a reference to “Radical Left Lunatics,” according to South China Morning Post.

Perspectives

Religious Leaders

The image drew criticism from religious leaders who accused Trump of being blasphemous, as reported by The Hindu. The depiction of the president as a Christ-like figure was seen as inappropriate and disrespectful by some within the religious community, prompting the deletion.

Trump's Defense

Trump denied posing as Jesus, attributing the image to a misunderstanding. He told reporters at a White House event, “I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor,” and blamed the media for insinuating otherwise, using the phrase “fake news,” as quoted by the South China Morning Post.

Political Context

The incident occurs amid a wider feud between Trump and Pope Leo XIV, who has been an outspoken critic of the war in Iran. Trump has reportedly reiterated his criticism of the religious leader, and the new image of Jesus embracing him appears to be part of this ongoing confrontation, according to South China Morning Post.

Additional Context

In a related development, Trump read a Bible passage about punishment and national repentance as part of a Republican-led marathon event, as reported by Al Jazeera. This action came amid the standoff with the pope and continued criticism of the AI image.