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Trump says he wasn't portraying himself as Jesus: 'I thought it was me as a doctor'
U.S. President Donald Trump says a now-deleted image posted to Truth Social, which appeared to portray the president as Jesus Christ, was actually meant to show him as a doctor.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he said: “I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor. And had to do with a red cross worker, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one.”
The post was removed on Monday, one day after Trump shared the AI-generated image, after it sparked widespread backlash.
Right-wing Christian commentator Brilyn Hollyhand, who previously served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee Youth Advisory Council, called the image “gross blasphemy.”
Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and a vocal supporter of Trump’s efforts to ban trans athletes from women’s sports, said in an X post: “Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?”
She added: “God shall not be mocked.”
In the image, the president appears dressed in red and white robes as he cures a man with his healing hand. The American flag is shown over his shoulder.
Trump and the White House have previously shared AI-generated images, including one that showed the president dressed as the pope.
The most recent of which comes after Trump said that he is “not a big fan” of Pope Leo XIV.
“He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The U.S. President later doubled down on his comments with a post on Truth Social, saying: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”
The remarks followed Pope Leo’s recent appeal for global leaders to end the war in the Middle East.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” he told worshippers at St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday.
While aboard his plane to Algiers on Monday, the pontiff told reporters he has “no fear” of the Trump administration.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do,” he said.
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