Washington DC: US President Donald Trump faces a mounting firestorm from his own political base after sharing, and subsequently deleting, an AI-generated image portraying himself as a divine, Jesus-like figure. The controversial post on Truth Social, which depicted Trump in a white robe with light emanating from his hands while performing a “miraculous” healing, was removed Monday following widespread condemnation from prominent religious conservatives. While the White House attempted to rebrand the imagery as Trump acting as a “doctor,” critics across the religious spectrum have labeled the post as “gross blasphemy.”
The digital controversy has deepened the existing rift between the President and the Vatican. Pope Leo, the first American-born pontiff, has been an outspoken critic of the ongoing US-led conflict in Iran, calling it inhumane and a violation of international law. In response, Trump launched a social media broadside against the Pope, calling him “WEAK on crime” and unfit for foreign policy. While Vice President JD Vance attempted to downplay the incident as a joke, other high-profile supporters, including Riley Gaines and former RNC advisor Brilyn Hollyhand, publicly rebuked the President, stating that “God shall not be mocked” and that faith should not be used as a political prop.
This tension marks a potential watershed moment for the Republican party, which relied heavily on Catholic and Evangelical voters to secure the 2024 election. Art historians have noted that the image clearly borrowed from traditional Christian iconography of Christ as a healer, making Trump’s “doctor” explanation appear suspicious to many. With at least eight Catholic members in his cabinet, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the President’s escalating disrespect toward Pope Leo is testing the loyalty of a demographic that has previously viewed his leadership as divinely ordained.
