Donald Trump's AI image as Jesus Christ triggers fierce backlash from religious conservatives

AI Jesus Might Be the Thing That Finally Breaks MAGA's Faith

Donald Trump picked a fight with the Pope on Sunday night, claiming he was "WEAK on crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy," among a host of other wild accusations. The president immediately followed up his Truth Social post with an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, setting off a fierce debate among the MAGA faithful who are now struggling with the idea that their favorite president seems to be calling himself God. Posting an image of yourself as Jesus Christ healing the sick is a bizarre thing for anyone to do, let alone the President of the United States. And it appears to be breaking through on conservative social media, even if right-wing TV wouldn't touch it. Trump posted the AI Jesus image late Sunday, but Fox News didn't mention it during its most popular morning shows on Monday. Many of Trump's most fervent supporters saw it on Truth Social and X, though, prompting an outcry. Christian nationalist pastor Joel Webbon wrote on X, "I genuinely believe Trump is currently demon possessed." Webbon has previously said that women shouldn't be able to vote and defended slavery, saying of Black people, "If slavery never happened, then you would be in a grass hut." Erick Erickson, the right-wing radio host perhaps most infamous for shooting a copy of the New York Times with a gun, didn't like the AI Jesus either. He suggested that it was a much bigger story than Trump's feud with podcasters like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, who've recently opposed Trump's ongoing war against Iran. "The media is paying attention to podcastistan breaking with Trump over Iran," wrote Erickson. "What they really should be paying attention to are the Christian Trump supporters who have stood with him through Iran, who are waking up to his blasphemy. That's a bigger issue than podcastistan." The AI depiction appears to have originated with Australian right-wing influencer Nick Adams, who posted the image back in February. But there is one difference. Trump's version appears to include some kind of horned creature in the clouds. It's unclear why Trump's version is invoking a demon-like presence, though that has also been noticed by Trump supporters who are concerned about his blasphemy. Trump was asked by a reporter about the AI Jesus image on Monday afternoon. The president acknowledged that he posted the image intentionally but denied that he was comparing himself to Jesus. Trump claimed that he was trying to depict himself as a doctor, something that's simply not believable in any way. "I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with the Red Cross, there's a Red Cross worker there, which we support," said Trump. "And only the fake news could come up with that one," Trump continued. "So I just heard about it, and I said, 'How do they come up with that?' It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better, and I do make people better. I make people a lot better." Even before Trump claimed he was only supposed to look like a doctor, other Trump defenders tried to insist that he wasn't attempting to depict himself as Jesus, which is rather absurd. Trump is seen wearing a red and white robe that virtually everyone associates with Jesus Christ. And he has light emitting from his hands as he's healing a sick person. There's no shortage of potentially blasphemous material in the AI-sphere these days, with a new AI Jesus avatar getting attention last week for all the wrong reasons. Users can hold a mock video call with an AI Jesus, inspired visually by the actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays Christ in the hit biblical TV series The Chosen. Many evangelicals believe the Pope is the Antichrist, so creating graven AI images based on a show that's popular with many Protestants hits them in a similarly blasphemous way. While the outrage among MAGA fans to Trump's AI Jesus was unusual, there were some who tried to defend the president's post. Joel Berry, a former writer at the right-wing satire site The Babylon Bee, wrote, "I don’t care about the dumb AI slop post of Trump healing Uncle Sam." Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist at the New York Times, disagreed. "If it's the very first commandment, it's probably not one of the more important ones," Douthat wrote on X. The First Commandment says, "You shall have no other gods before me." By placing himself in the role of Messiah, Trump is calling himself not just a god, but the Christian God who must be worshiped. Trump's post attacking Pope Leo didn't make much sense, since the Pontiff is a religious figure, not someone who has a crime policy that can be analyzed. But those attacks also seemed to generate concern among Catholics. The AI Jesus isn't the first time that Trump has antagonized Christianity and Catholicism specifically. The president posted an AI image of himself as the pope back in May 2025. The Pope himself, who's originally from Chicago and became the first American Pope in history, has previously warned against the use of AI in some ways, saying that it could contribute to “greater injustice between advanced and developing nations or between dominant and oppressed social classes.†He also warned that use of AI could create a world where "human dignity and fraternity are frequently subordinated in the pursuit of efficiency." It's unclear how much staying power this incident will have in the right-wing mind. Americans generally have the memory of goldfish, and the MAGAverse in particular can rationalize away plenty of heresy. When Trump was asked by reporters on Monday whether he wanted to apologize to Pope Leo, the president said he didn't. "No, I don't, because, Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I'm doing with regard to Iran. And you cannot have a nuclear Iran," said Trump. "I think he's very weak on crime and other things," Trump continued, trying to suggest that Pope Leo started this feud. "So I'm not. I mean, he went public. I'm just responding to Pope Leo. And you know, his brother is a big MAGA person, and he's a great guy, Louis. And I said, I like Louis better than I like the Pope." The post showing Trump as Jesus has been deleted from Truth Social, but his long screed attacking Pope Leo remains.

The AI images Trump can't get enough of

This was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday In Donald Trump's telling, the image showed him as a medical professional, never mind the lack of training. "It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better," Trump said, responding to the outrage after he posted an AI-generated photo which critics - including some on the right - say showed him as a Jesus Christ-figure. Trump added: "And I do make people better. I make people a lot better." Of course. Trump was engaging in the famous medical practice of administering an ethereal light to a patient's head, as translucent figures look down from the heavens. While that explanation made perfect sense to the most severely indoctrinated members of the Maga cult, others took issue. "Gross blasphemy," said a former co-chair of a Republican youth group. "There's no context where this is acceptable," Sean Feucht, a Trump-aligned Christian activist, posted on X. Whatever Trump thought he was doing - and the New York Times ran a lengthy piece this week noting that he "seems even less restrained and more incoherent" and "regularly makes comments rooted in fantasy rather than fact" - it wasn't the first time he has dabbled in Christian art. Indeed, last May, with the Catholic church still mourning the death of Pope Francis, Trump shared a picture on social media imagining himself as pope. The picture showed him in a white cassock, crucifix pendant and a mitre hat, with a Solomon-esque look of wisdom on his face. That didn't go down well either. It fits a pattern. During Trump's campaign, and continuing into his second term, either he or the White House has repeatedly used AI imagery to visualize the president as: The AI-generated posts "rally his base and distract the public from other topics", Poynter wrote. "But AI supercharges his messaging ability, providing hyperrealistic visuals of incidents that aren't real." Even as Trump backed down on proclaiming himself the son of God, he seems unlikely to keep out of Christian issues altogether. On Tuesday night he extended his attacks on the pope - another thing which has drawn the ire of at least some on the right - in late-night Truth Social posts. "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable," Trump wrote at 11.34pm. The president did not offer evidence for the 42,000 claim, and has previously cited a figure of 45,000 dead protesters, a number which has not been verified. The grumbling continued into the small hours, Trump sharing a post critical of Leo's social media use at 1.10am, and, later still, defending himself again over the Trump-as-Christ controversy. As that conflict bubbles away, the AI continued. On Wednesday morning Trump reposted an image of what appeared to be Jesus Christ embracing him from behind, again risking the ire of Christians. "The Radical Left Lunatics might not like this, but I think it is quite nice!!!" Trump wrote. And therein lies another, simpler, explanation for the fascination with AI images: Trump just really likes the photos. He likes seeing himself as a superhero, or wearing a snazzy hat, or as someone who isn't about to turn 80. It means there are probably more images to come. Perhaps he'll imagine himself as God next.

Donald Trump is with Jesus now: US president posts another AI-generated image on Truth Social. Here's why it is trending and best memes

Donald Trump is with Jesus now became a major online discussion after Donald Trump shared a new AI image showing himself with Jesus Christ on Truth Social. The post came days after a similar image created backlash across political and religious communities. The images spread quickly across social media platforms and news outlets. Supporters and critics began debating religion, politics, and the use of AI images in public messaging. The situation also connects to earlier AI image controversies involving Trump and online political content. The discussion continues to grow as reactions from journalists, commentators, and voters keep the topic active. Donald Trump is with Jesus now started trending after Trump reposted an image from X. The image came from a page called Irish for Trump. The picture showed Jesus hugging Trump. Trump added a caption saying critics might dislike the image but he liked it. The original post from the X account included a message suggesting that events in the world showed God might be supporting Trump. Trump shared a screenshot of that post on Truth Social. The message triggered discussions about religion in politics and the use of AI images in political communication. The post arrived days after another image controversy. Trump had earlier shared an AI image that showed him as a religious savior figure. That earlier image created strong reactions across social media and news platforms. Donald Trump is with Jesus now is trending because Donald Trump shared another AI image showing himself with Jesus Christ on Truth Social after backlash over a previous image. The new post revived debate about religion, politics, and AI-generated content. Supporters shared the image widely, while critics and religious commentators discussed its impact. The timing of the post, recent political comments, and earlier AI image controversies pushed the topic into social media trends and news coverage. Trump had posted an AI image showing himself dressed in white robes and descending from the sky. The image showed him touching a sick man in a hospital bed. Many critics reacted quickly. Some conservative Christians also criticized the image. Journalist Megan Basham called the image blasphemous. Political commentator Cam Higby also criticized the image despite being a supporter of Trump. Trump later removed the image. He spoke to reporters outside the Oval Office. He said he believed the image showed him as a doctor helping people. He blamed media coverage for the misunderstanding and said he makes people better. The issue also connect to comments about Pope Leo XIV. Trump had criticized the pope and called him weak on crime and too liberal. This criticism came shortly before the AI image controversy. The criticism created reactions among Catholic voters and religious leaders. Some analysts said the posts could affect political support ahead of elections. Trump has previously posted AI images involving religion. Last year he shared an image showing himself as pope after the death of Pope Francis. These repeated posts have kept debate active around religion and political messaging. Trump previously shared an AI clip showing Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in a controversial way. That post received strong criticism and was later removed. Other controversial images included fake scenes of an arrest of a civil rights activist in Minnesota. Another image used the art style of Studio Ghibli to show an immigrant woman being detained. Critics also pointed to fake endorsement images including one involving Taylor Swift. These incidents show a pattern of AI-generated images being used in political messaging. Supporters say the posts are jokes or symbolic. Critics say the posts spread misinformation and offend religious and political communities. Trump said he was the main force preventing global problems during negotiations with Iran. These comments appeared in the same period as the AI image posts. The timing led to speculation that the posts were part of political messaging. Analysts say social media posts often aim to shape public discussion and attention. Supporters shared the image widely. Critics said the posts crossed religious boundaries. Religious leaders, political commentators, and media outlets continue to discuss the topic. The debate includes questions about AI content, religion, political speech, and online influence. Q1. Why did Donald Trump post AI images with Jesus? Donald Trump shared AI images from social media and said he liked them. He denied earlier criticism and said media misunderstood the images. The posts triggered debate about religion and politics. Q2. How have people reacted to Donald Trump is with Jesus now posts? Reactions include support, criticism, and debate. Some religious supporters called the posts offensive. Others shared the images widely online, keeping the discussion active across social media and news platforms.

Trump posts AI image of himself as Jesus-like figure, drawing outrage

April 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure on Sunday, drawing widespread criticism even from some religious conservatives who typically support him, before deleting the post on Monday. The post on Trump's Truth Social platform came amid his escalating feud with Pope Leo, who has criticized the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran as inhumane. Shortly before publishing the image, the president posted a lengthy screed against Pope Leo, calling him "WEAK on crime and terrible for Foreign Policy." Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, said in response to Trump's attacks that he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out. In a forceful speech on Monday in Algiers, he denounced "neocolonial" world powers who are violating international law, without specifically referring to the United States. Sunday's post, depicting Trump in a white robe with an apparently healing hand on a prone man's head, could create a rift between Trump and the religious right, whose support was critical to his victory in the 2024 election. In the painting-like image, Trump holds a glowing orb in one hand and uses his other hand to touch a seemingly sick man on the forehead. The Statue of Liberty, fireworks, a fighter jet and eagles could be seen in the background. The post was removed on Monday morning. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brilyn Hollyhand, who served as the co-chair of the Republican National Committee Youth Advisory Council, wrote on X: "This is gross blasphemy. Faith is not a prop. You don't need to portray yourself as a savior when your record should speak for itself." Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and outspoken critic of transgender athletes in women's sports who has appeared with Trump at rallies, wrote on X she could not understand why Trump posted the image. "Does he actually think this?" she wrote. "Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked." Trump, who does not attend church regularly, won large majorities of Christian voters in the 2024 election. He made gains among Catholic voters, who backed him by a 56% to 42% margin after splitting more evenly in previous elections, according to an analysis by Ryan Burge, a political science professor at Washington University and a former pastor. After Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July 2024, some evangelical supporters said it was evidence https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-supporters-see-his-narrow-escape-death-gods-work-2024-07-16/ he had been blessed by God. Last year, after the death of Pope Francis, Trump posted an image showing himself as pope https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-posts-ai-generated-photo-himself-pope-2025-05-03/, prompting outrage from many Catholics. In recent weeks, Leo has become one of the most prominent critics https://www.reuters.com/world/leo-first-us-pope-emerges-pointed-trump-critic-2026-04-02/ of the war in Iran, even making an unusual direct appeal to Trump and urging him to find an "off-ramp." Leo has also said that Jesus cannot be used to justify war and that God rejects the prayers of those who start conflicts. Those remarks were widely seen as a rebuke to Trump officials like U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who has cited scripture https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/evangelicals-amplify-trumps-religious-framing-iran-war-2026-04-08/ to justify the use of "overwhelming violence" against enemies and likened the rescue of a U.S. airman inside Iran to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Trump also feuded https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-migration-stance-overshadowed-ties-with-pope-francis-2025-04-25/ at times with Leo's predecessor, Francis, who publicly opposed Trump's deportation campaign as un-Christian. At least eight members of Trump's cabinet are Catholic, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Bishop Robert Barron, who serves on a Trump-created religious liberty commission, said on X that the president owed Leo an apology for his "inappropriate" statements on social media. But he also praised Trump in the same post for his outreach to Catholics. (Reporting by Helen Coster and Joseph Ax; Additional reporting by Joshua McElwee and Gram Slattery; editing by Donna Bryson and Alistair Bell) By Helen Coster and Joseph Ax