President Donald Trump’s posting of a rendering that appeared to depict him as Jesus drew rare criticism from the religious right, prompting calls for him to take down the post and allegations of blasphemy.
Shortly after posting a screed against Pope Leo XIV on Sunday night as he returned to Washington from Florida, Trump shared an AI-generated image in the style of a painting, depicting him in a long white robe. In one hand was an orb glowing with light; Trump’s other hand rested on the forehead of a man in what resembled a hospital bed – light beaming from the man’s head as Trump appeared to pray for his healing. Patriotic symbols including an eagle, fireworks and the Statue of Liberty filled the frame.
Unlike the post criticizing Leo, whom Trump later said he didn’t like and is too “liberal,” the image evoking Jesus drew swift criticism from some evangelical Christians and conservative Catholics who have otherwise expressed near constant support for Trump’s decisions.
“I don’t know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy,” wrote Megan Basham, a prominent conservative Protestant Christian writer and commentator. “But he needs to take this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Trump’s intent in posting the image.
One administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to criticize the president’s post, predicted that conservative Christian outrage would dissipate in a matter of days as it often has. But the official said it was going too far for Trump to post such an image of himself, even though some of his most loyal MAGA supporters have cast him in quasi-messianic terms.
“Other people at these Trump rallies do it for him, but when you do it yourself, … it’s sacrilegious at best,” the official said.
Others like Basham publicly condemned the post. Isabel Brown, a Catholic podcaster with the Daily Wire outlet and a conservative influencer allied with the Trump White House, spoke out against it.
“This post is, frankly, disgusting and unacceptable, but also a profound misreading of the American people experiencing a true and beautiful revival of faith in Christ in the midst of our broken culture,” Brown wrote.
Michael Knowles, another conservative Catholic podcaster aligned with Trump, said online it “behooves the President both spiritually and politically to delete the picture, no matter the intent.”
Riley Gaines, a conservative podcaster, former collegiate swimmer and prominent critic of transgender participation in women’s sports who spoke at Trump rallies and was recently a guest at the White House, also criticized the post. “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,” Gaines wrote on X, continuing to say that “a little humility would serve him well” and “God shall not be mocked” – a reference to scripture.
The image and the subsequent reaction echoed a Truth Social post Trump ultimately deleted earlier this year, a video that at the end briefly showed Barack and Michelle Obama depicted as apes. The post was deleted after roughly 12 hours, but not before the White House press secretary dismissed criticism and urged the news media to “stop the fake outrage.”
The latest post remained online ahead of a meeting Monday of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, which is expected to feature several high-profile, Trump-appointed Christian leaders. They include Paula White-Cain, Trump’s spiritual adviser, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Bishop Robert Barron and Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Trump formed the commission last year by executive order to advise the White House Faith Office.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Trump post appearing to depict himself as Jesus sparks backlash. Reporting by Natalie Allison, Washington Post / The Detroit News; USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
