President Trump drew a firestorm of criticism — including from conservatives — for sharing an AI-generated image portraying himself as a Christ-like figure, with some accusing the commander-in-chief of “blasphemy.”
The image, posted on his Truth Social account Sunday night but then deleted Monday morning, features Trump clad in billowy white and red robes and placing his hand on the forehead of a man lying in a hospital bed, his other hand radiating a divine light.
He’s flanked by a nurse kneeling beside the sick man, a woman in prayer, and a man in Army camouflage, presumably a soldier, peering up at him reverently.
The background of the image is festooned with America-centric iconography, including an American flag, a pair of soaring bald eagles, the Statue of Liberty, and fighter jets streaking across a cloudy sky backdrop.
The depiction quickly went viral, sparking widespread condemnation, including from Trump-supporting conservative figures who were appalled by the image.
“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?” Fox News host Riley Gaines posted on X in response.
“Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well. 2) God shall not be mocked.”
Megan Basham, a scribe at the conservative outlet the Daily Wire, slammed the post as “OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy” on X.
“I don’t know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy. But he needs to take this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God,” she wrote.
Steve Deace of right-leaning BlazeTV shared the image with the simple retort “No.”
When asked about the controversy during a press conference Monday afternoon, Trump said “It wasn’t a depiction. I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker, which we support, and only the fake news could come up with that one.”
The sharp criticism comes amid an escalating row between Trump and Pope Leo as the president took aim at the pontiff over his criticism of the Iran war, accusing him of being “weak on crime” and “terrible” for foreign policy.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country,” he wrote on Truth Social a few minutes before he posted the controversial image.
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“And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
Leo, who hasn’t mentioned Trump by name in his speaking out against the conflict, said he wasn’t interested in sparring with the president.
“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” the pope said on the papal plane en route to Algeria ahead of a 10-day tour of Africa.
“I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing,” he said.
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems.”
The White House did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
