US president deletes AI image of himself as a Jesus-like figure amid a deepening feud with Pope Leo
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenTribune News ServicePublished: 10:36am, 14 Apr 2026Updated: 10:53am, 14 Apr 2026US President Donald Trump on Monday defended his now deleted social media post that appeared to depict himself as Jesus Christ, contending that it was meant to portray him as “a doctor” after right-wing figures continued a recent trend of pushing back on the president’s recent comments.
“Well, it wasn’t a depiction. It was me, I did post it. And I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross,” Trump said during an impromptu event at the White House. “There was a Red Cross worker there, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one.”
In the apparently AI-generated image, Trump floats over an impaired man while wearing ancient robe-like garbs like those worn by Jesus in artistic renderings of Christianity’s most important figure. Light emanates from Trump’s hands as he places one hand on the bedridden man’s forehead, the sky lighting up behind him, while others look up at him, including one person with hands folded in prayer.
“I just heard about it, and I said: ‘How did they come up with that?’ It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better,” Trump told reporters. “And I do make people better.”
Trump made the comments alongside a DoorDash driver who delivered him two bags of McDonald’s food and touted his “no tax on tips” policy that was included in Republicans’ 2025 budget reconciliation bill. Trump also asked the DoorDash driver, Sharon Simmons, whether she thinks men should play in women’s sports.
