Trump Faces Criticism Over Jesus-Like Image, Feud With Pope

US President Donald Trump is facing intense criticism over his latest Truth Social post, which comes amid a feud with the Pope that has sparked concern in many American Catholics.

Trump's latest Truth Social post was a repost of an AI-generated image of Trump with his hand over a man's forehead, who he appeared to be healing. The picture depicted the president in a red and white robe as he was bathed in golden light– a typical way for scriptures to portray Jesus Christ. The illustration of Trump had several military officers and doctors around him, one of which had her hands together as if she was praying. The image also had an American flag in the background and multiple American monuments, along with a bald eagle, several angel-like figures, and two fighter jets.

Many viewers perceived the depiction as an "American Jesus," sparking concern and anger among many of President Trump's far-right Christian supporters. The controversy also comes as Trump reaches record-low approval ratings– a mere 40% of Americans support the current president, while 57% disapprove.

Trump later deleted the post and claimed that he "thought it was me as a doctor," as he appeared to be healing someone in the image. He also assured that he thought it was made by "a very beautiful, talented artist," leading to the repost, and believed that the presence of doctors and the Red Cross in the image would convince people of his initial message. However, he confirmed that he had rescinded the repost because "people were confused." Usually, Trump refuses to delete posts or go back on his words, meaning that the public's reaction to this post was particularly damaging to his reputation.

The post also comes amid an ongoing social media feud with Pope Leo XIV, who has been a major vocal critic of the US and Israel's war in Iran. He has repeatedly called for the conflict to stop, particularly directing his comments towards the Trump administration and their usage of Christian nationalism to promote their goals in Iran: "God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples."

Many Christians against the Trump administration feel that they are wrongly taking advantage of Christian nationalism to push their goals forward in Iran, and many evangelical Christians in the United States support Israel for this reason. They view Israel as the promised land, as the Bible portrays the region, and believe that the nation's existence is crucial in order for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to take place.

Because of the strong evangelical presence in the United States government, Israel receives more aid from the US annually than any other country– more than $3.8 billion a year. However, conflicts increase that number; in 2024, when Israel retaliated in Gaza, the US gave them over $16 billion. Members of the US government have also portrayed the ongoing war as a religious conflict– Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described it as "a holy war carried out in the name of Jesus Christ."

While evangelical Christians believe this to be right, many other Christians do not support such actions, while many people of other races and religions in the United States believe the aforementioned aid to be a significant waste of taxpayer dollars.

Nevertheless, the Pope has made it clear that he refuses to support the war in Iran despite his American background and has "no fear" of the Trump administration. Trump, on the other hand, called out the Pope for being "weak" and "terrible for foreign policy," and claimed, "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican," referring to last year's papal conclave.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): About 25% of all blood from the heart goes into the kidneys, which is remarkable considering that the kidneys make up a mere 0.5% of body weight.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Maturity is the ability to prioritize values before feelings. (Mark Manson)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Kibitzer (noun, KIB-it-ser) - A kibitzer is someone who watches other people and makes unwanted comments about what they are doing.

In a Sentence: It wasn't long after they bought their house that the couple heard from neighborhood kibitzers offering tips on landscaping and remodeling.

Image credit to Truth Social