Trump posts AI image of himself as healer amid pope feud

Donald Trump’s deleted image of himself as a Christ-like healer showed how aggressively he is willing to use religious imagery to court Catholic voters and conservative Christians, and how fast he will back away when the backlash turns against him. The post vanished Monday morning after it drew sharp criticism from Christian commentators and some of his own allies.

The uproar came just hours after Trump posted a 334-word Truth Social message attacking Pope Leo XIV. In that post, Trump called the first American pope “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy,” while criticizing Leo’s opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and to U.S. military actions in Venezuela. The clash sharpened an already tense public dispute between Trump and the Vatican over war, peace and the role of American power.

The deleted image, which appeared to be AI-generated, showed Trump in white robes with a glowing hand held over a sick man in a hospital bed. Patriotic symbols crowded the scene, including the American flag, bald eagles, the Statue of Liberty and military planes in the background. It was a stylized piece of political theater as much as a religious tableau, blending healing imagery with nationalist iconography.

The backlash was immediate. Conservative Christian commentator Megan Basham called the image “OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy” and said Trump should remove it and ask forgiveness. Brilyn Hollyhand called it “gross blasphemy.” Riley Gaines wrote, “God shall not be mocked.” Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer called the post “embarrassing.”

Trump tried to dismiss the controversy at the White House, saying, “I did post it. I thought it was me as a doctor,” and adding that it was “supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better.” The explanation did little to quiet the criticism, especially because the image echoed Trump’s previous use of religious AI content. In May 2025, he shared an AI-generated image of himself as the pope, and the White House reposted it.

The Vatican’s response has only deepened the political stakes. Pope Leo XIV said he has “no fear” of the Trump administration and will continue speaking out for peace. For Trump, the episode was a reminder that religious imagery can rally his base, but it can also expose the limits of that appeal when the symbolism goes too far.