Donald Trump has once again shared an AI-generated image portraying himself in a Jesus-like manner, accompanied by a peculiar statement from the original poster suggesting that “God might be playing his Trump card.”
The US president posted a screenshot on his Truth Social platform of a post depicting a Jesus-like figure embracing him, in a move seen as provocative amidst his disagreement with Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of the US and Israeli stance on Iran. The post, attributed to an account named “Irish for Trump” (@Dkelly4congress), features a figure resembling Jesus standing closely beside Trump with arms around him.
The post by @Dkelly4congress reads: “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!”
Trump shared both the image and the caption, commenting that while “radical left lunatics” might not appreciate the image, he finds it “quite nice.”
This development follows Trump’s previous posting – later deleted – of an AI-generated image showing himself as a Jesus-like figure seemingly healing a sick individual in a hospital bed.
The initial Truth Social post, made on Sunday night and removed by Monday morning, triggered strong criticism from various political factions in the US, including some of his own supporters who condemned the depiction as sacrilegious.
In a CBS News interview, Trump explained that he removed the image due to confusion among people, stating he did not want anyone to be misled. The US has over 70 million Catholics, constituting approximately 20% of the population.
Shortly before this incident, Trump launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social, labeling him as ineffective on crime and foreign policy.
He further stated, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon…If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized what he described as the “desecration of Jesus” while expressing solidarity with the Pope.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a Catholic and Trump’s ally, rebuked Trump’s comments about the Pope as “unacceptable,” emphasizing the Pope’s role in advocating for peace and denouncing war.
Pope Leo XIV, speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane, asserted that he had no apprehension of the Trump administration and was committed to conveying the message of the Gospel fearlessly.