After divine protection following a failed assassination attempt against him in July 2024 during the presidential campaign, Donald Trump made headlines again. An image generated by artificial intelligence showing the President of the United States in a pose inspired by Jesus sparked a strong controversy across the Atlantic, leading the president to delete it on Monday from his Truth Social network.
Shared on Sunday, the illustration echoed the codes of Christian painting, with Donald Trump draped in a red and white robe, a halo of light, placing his hand on the forehead of a man lying down, surrounded by patriotic elements like eagles, a combat plane, or the Statue of Liberty.
No religious intent according to Trump
Faced with criticism, the American president rejected any religious intention. “It was not a representation. It was me. I published it, and I thought it was me,” he said, adding: “It is supposed to be me as a doctor, taking care of people. And I take care of people. I take care of them a lot.”
This publication came shortly after a verbal attack by Pope Leon XIV, who criticized the war in Iran. In response, Donald Trump lashed out at the pontiff, asserting that he did not want a pope to criticize him. On Monday, the American president further stated that he would not apologize, calling the head of the Catholic Church “very weak.”
Strong reaction from conservative religious circles
The reaction was immediate in conservative religious circles. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene denounced an image as “more than a blasphemy,” invoking “an anti-Christ spirit,” stating that the president “published a photo of himself as if he were taking Jesus’s place.”
Other voices, including writer Megan Basham, also condemned it as an “outrageous blasphemy,” calling for the message to be removed, while Pope Leon XIV himself had previously said, “Enough of idolatry of self and money! Enough of shows of strength! Enough of war!” in a context of increased tensions surrounding the conflict with Iran.
