The AI-generated image appeared on the @realDonaldTrump Truth Social account on the evening of 12/4. It depicted US President Donald Trump in a long white robe and red cape, placing a glowing hand on the forehead of a person in a hospital bed, while his other hand also emitted light.
The surrounding scene featured symbols such as eagles, the US flag, soldiers, fighter jets, medical personnel, and the Statue of Liberty. A woman was also shown praying with clasped hands.
Trump did not include any comments with the post. This image appeared shortly after he criticized Pope Leo XIV in another post, stating the Vatican leader was "weak in combating crime and very poor in foreign policy".
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The image posted by President Trump on his personal account on 12/4 sparked controversy for "resembling Jesus Christ". Photo: TruthSocial/realDonaldTrump |
The image garnered significant attention, with some interpreting it as depicting Trump "likened to Jesus Christ". Conservative political commentators and influential figures within the Christian community criticized the image, stating it could be interpreted as "blasphemous".
"I don't know if the President thinks he's funny, or if he's under the influence of some medication, or for any other reason for this excessively blasphemous act. He must delete the post immediately, then ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God", wrote Megan Basham, a prominent commentator in the US evangelical community, on X.
Riley Gaines, a prominent conservative activist within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, found it "incomprehensible" why President Trump posted the image. Gaines suggested "a little humility" would benefit Trump.
Following a series of reactions, Trump stated on 13/4 that he deleted the image from his account after approximately 13 hours to avoid misunderstanding. The White House has not commented on the post's intent.
In a subsequent White House press conference, Trump rejected comments suggesting he intentionally "likened himself to Jesus Christ", stating "only the fake news media would think of this".
"I am the one who posted that image. I thought the picture depicted me as a doctor. The image also features Red Cross personnel, an organization we support. The message of the image is that I act as a doctor helping people get better, and that is truly what I am doing, helping people get better", Trump said.
In another phone interview with CBS, Trump shared his surprise at the Christian community's reaction. He explained that when he posted the image, he thought it was created by "a great and talented artist".
The US leader believes he "contributed more to the Church than any president in the past 100 years", including billions of USD in aid during the Covid-19 pandemic. "When they were in trouble, I supported them with billions of USD for education. Their reaction to my kindness is unfair", he said.
Thanh Danh (According to CBS, Washington Post, CNBC)
