An AI-generated image shared by Donald Trump showing him looking like Jesus faced intense criticism and widespread condemnation on Sunday. Even religious conservatives, who generally support the former president, expressed outrage over the post, which was later removed following backlash. The image – which appeared to show Trump healing a sick person in a hospital – sparked controversy
There was a sharp reaction from the entire political world, due to which he had to remove the post. Additionally, Trump further escalated the controversy by posting a lengthy message criticizing Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of US and Israeli military operations in Iran.
according to BBCThe removed image showed Donald Trump in a white robe placing a glowing hand on the forehead of a sick man – critics have compared the composition to traditional religious images of Jesus healing the sick. The background was filled with national symbols, including the Statue of Liberty, a large American flag, fighter jets, and an eagle. The scene featured a mix of figures representing service and faith, notably a nurse, a soldier, and a woman praying. Despite the religious comparisons, Trump later told reporters that he saw the image more literally, claiming it depicted him as a doctor standing next to a Red Cross worker.
In this regard, Sean Feucht, a Christian activist who is working on a series of faith-based events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence this year, said: “It should be removed immediately, because there is no context where it would be acceptable.”
The controversial image was posted less than an hour after a separate post by the US president in which he criticized the Pope, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy”.
The recently circulated AI-generated image is not the first time Trump’s Truth Social has drawn widespread criticism. In February, a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys was posted on her account before being removed. The White House initially defended the clip as an “Internet meme video” and asked critics to stop their cosmetic outrage. However, after intense backlash – including from several Republican senators – the post was removed, with the administration claiming that a staffer had posted it “by mistake”.
