A firestorm of bipartisan condemnation has forced former and current U.S. President Donald Trump to take down a controversial AI-created post on his Truth Social platform that depicted him in a Jesus-like healing role, capping a chaotic 24 hours that also saw an escalating public verbal clash with Pope Leo XIV over the ongoing military conflict in Iran.
The removed image, generated entirely through artificial intelligence, showed Trump dressed in a flowing white robe pressing a glowing hand to the forehead of a patient lying in a hospital bed, a composition intentionally echoing classic religious art depicting Jesus Christ healing the sick. The graphic layered in overtly patriotic American imagery as well: the Statue of Liberty stood in the background, a large American flag billowed beside it, fighter jets and a bald eagle were included, alongside a uniformed soldier, a praying woman, and a hospital nurse.
Criticism of the inflammatory post broke out within minutes of it going live, with condemnation coming even from corners of the conservative and faith-based movements that have been core supporters of Trump. Christian activist Sean Feucht, who is currently organizing a national series of faith-centered events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, publicly called for the image’s immediate removal, stating that there was no conceivable context in which the content could be considered appropriate.
Prominent conservative commentator and transgender rights critic Riley Gaines also pushed back against the post, invoking a biblical phrase by writing “God shall not be mocked.” Leading faith-based American media outlets joined the rebuke as well. David Brody, a senior journalist with the Christian Broadcasting Network, argued that the image crossed a clear red line, noting that even loyal backers of Trump’s policy agenda could reject the inappropriate content.
The ill-fated image was posted less than 60 minutes after Trump published a lengthy, scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV, the first American to hold the papacy, who has emerged as one of the most high-profile global critics of U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran. In his original criticism, Trump branded the Pope “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.”
Pope Leo responded to Trump’s attack earlier on Monday, pushing back firmly against the president’s criticism. He stated that he has no fear of the Trump administration, and that his only commitment is to speaking openly about the core message of the Gospel, which he views as the central purpose of his role as pontiff. The Pope has repeatedly described the violence of the Iran war as “absurd and inhuman” in his public remarks.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump refused to issue any apology for either the attack on the Pope or the controversial image. He insisted that Pope Leo had taken the wrong position on the conflict, arguing that a nuclear-armed Iran cannot be tolerated, and claimed the Pope would ultimately be unsatisfied with the end result of the current military campaign.
The BBC has reached out to the White House to request official clarification on the specific circumstances that led to the image’s removal, and has not yet received a response. This incident is far from the first time that content posted to Trump’s Truth Social account has sparked major national controversy. Back in February, a racist edited video that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes was posted to the account before being removed. Initially, the White House defended the clip as a harmless “internet meme” and told critics to drop what it called “fake outrage,” but after sustained backlash from multiple Republican senators, the post was pulled, and a senior White House official claimed a junior staffer had published the clip “erroneously.”