President Donald Trump said he personally posted an AI-generated image on social media comparing him to a Christ-like healing figure, which drew outrage from conservative Christians.
The Sunday evening Truth Social post depicted Trump, wearing a white robe covered by a red shawl, touching his right hand to the forehead of another man laying in a bed wearing a hospital gown. Surrounding Trump and the bedridden man were several Americans in various roles: a nurse, and a woman praying.
The image background included an American flag, the Statue of Liberty and other classic American iconography along with several figures in the clouds above him, including a winged, three-horned figure descending from the heavens.
By noon on Monday, the post was deleted from Truth Social.
At a White House media briefing Monday, Trump revealed that he posted the image himself because he “thought it was me as a doctor.”
"I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with the Red Cross,” the president said. “There was a Red Cross worker there, which we support.”
The image shared on social media did include a nurse, but there was no indication of a Red Cross worker in the image.
Trump blamed “the fake news” for alleging that the image compared him to Jesus. “It's supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better, and I do make people better,” he said. “I make people a lot better."
The post drew condemnation on social media from a number of former Trump supporters, including former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who wrote: “It’s more than blasphemy. It’s an Antichrist spirit."
Christ Church pastor Douglas Wilson said he is “very grateful” for Christians who pushed back on the post.
“I was very grateful to see how many conservative Christians immediately denounced the blasphemous Jesus/Trump image,” Wilson wrote. “I was also grateful to see how many center/left Christians suddenly agreed that public blasphemy is a thing we should all be concerned about. A bit late, but still good.”
Conservative influencer Riley Gaines wrote: “Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked.”
The controversial post comes just days after White House Faith Office director Paula White-Cain compared Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign — including surviving a failed assassination attempt — with the persecution of Jesus leading to His crucifixion.
In remarks she gave during a private Easter lunch at the White House with other Christian leaders last Wednesday, White-Cain claimed God told her to tell Trump how thankful she is for him, according to footage of the ceremony that the White House uploaded to YouTube.
"Jesus taught so many lessons through His death, burial and resurrection. He showed us great leadership, great transformation requires great sacrifice. And Mr. President, no one has paid the price like you have paid the price. It almost cost you your life," she said.
"You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It's a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us. But it didn't end there for Him, and it didn't end there for you," she continued.
"God always had a plan. On the third day, He rose, He defeated evil, He conquered death, Hell and the grave. And because He rose, we all know that we can rise. And, sir, because of His resurrection, you rose up. Because He was victorious, you were victorious."
