NEW YORK, April 15 - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday shared an image on his Truth Social account that was described by observers as apparently AI-generated, showing a Jesus figure embracing him. The image, posted two days after Mr. Trump removed a previous message that had drawn criticism for suggesting a comparison between himself and Jesus, depicts the president and the religious figure with eyes closed and their temples pressed together.
In the photograph-format post, Mr. Trump stands behind a microphone and an American flag is visible in the background. The original deleted post carried the caption: "I was never a very religious man .. but doesn’t it seem, with all these satanic, demonic, child sacrificing monsters being exposed ... that God might be playing his Trump card!"
When Mr. Trump reposted the image on Wednesday, he added a new caption: "The Radical Left Lunatics might not like this, but I think it is quite nice!!!"
The repost arrives amid a public feud between Mr. Trump and Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born leader of the Catholic Church who has been an outspoken critic of the war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Mr. Trump reiterated his criticism of the pope on Tuesday night in separate Truth Social posts.
In one of those posts, Mr. Trump wrote: "someone please tell Pope Leo" about the killings of protesters by Iran and asserted that "for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable."
Vice President JD Vance weighed in on Tuesday evening at an event at the University of Georgia, saying the pope was wrong to state that disciples of Christ are "never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs." Mr. Vance added that "it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology."
Pope Leo responded to earlier attacks by saying he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and that he would continue to speak out. In a forceful address on Monday in Algiers, the pope denounced what he described as "neocolonial" world powers that he said were violating international law, while not naming specific countries.
Christian voters remain an important segment of Mr. Trump’s political base. The president, who does not attend church regularly, won large majorities of Christian voters in the 2024 election, including Catholics.
Key points
- Mr. Trump reposted an apparently AI-generated image of himself embraced by a Jesus figure, two days after deleting a prior post that was criticized as comparing him to Jesus.
- The exchange is part of a broader public dispute with Pope Leo - the first U.S.-born pope - over the pontiff's criticism of a war tied to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, with comments and rebuttals from the president and high-ranking U.S. officials.
- Religious constituencies remain politically significant; Mr. Trump, who does not regularly attend church, captured majorities of Christian voters in the 2024 election, including Catholic voters.
Risks and uncertainties
- Escalating rhetorical conflict between the U.S. president and the pope introduces sustained public tension around sensitive diplomatic and religious issues.
- Statements and social media posts referencing the Iran-related conflict and alleged killings of protesters contribute to uncertainty over international responses and diplomatic conversations.
- Continued public disputes over theology and foreign policy may affect voter perceptions among religious constituencies that are important to political coalitions.