Trump discussed Jesus meme with Bill Pulte before posting it, sources say

Donald Trump discussed an AI-generated “Jesus” meme with Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte before posting it, a sign that the image was not simply an off-the-cuff online jab. The episode has become a case study in how Trump uses religious imagery to provoke outrage, energize supporters and seize attention in the middle of a campaign-style media cycle.

Trump posted the image on Truth Social on April 12, 2026, and it quickly drew accusations from some evangelical and conservative Christians that he had crossed into blasphemy. The image was widely read as showing Trump in the likeness of Jesus Christ, though Trump later insisted he thought it depicted him as a doctor connected to the Red Cross. He told reporters on April 13 that he had not intended a Jesus comparison, but the post was deleted that same day, an unusual move for a president who rarely removes his own material.

The backlash did not stop there. Two days after deleting the first image, Trump posted another AI-generated picture showing Jesus embracing him. That follow-up post came after renewed criticism tied to his clash with Pope Leo XIV and the pope’s comments on Iran. The sequence showed a familiar Trump pattern: provoke, deny, repost, and keep the fight alive long enough to dominate the conversation. The images blurred the line between trolling, faith symbolism and political messaging, turning sacred imagery into a weaponized attention device.

The reaction was especially sharp because the criticism came from some of Trump’s most vocal religious allies. NBC News reported that evangelical Christians who had long backed Trump accused him of blasphemy. CBS News reported that the outrage came even from some of his most steadfast supporters. ABC News reported that the post landed amid a burst of online activity and followed Trump’s attack on Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff’s call to end the war in Iran.

Taken together, the posts showed a disciplined use of AI-generated imagery to force a choice on supporters and opponents alike. By discussing the meme with Pulte before posting it, Trump signaled that the content was part of a broader digital strategy, not just a viral flourish. The result was another reminder that in Trump’s hands, religion, spectacle and algorithmic politics are increasingly fused into the same message.