Trump Casts Himself as Jesus After Slapping Back at Pope Leo

President Trump has ignited a firestorm of controversy by sharing an AI-generated image of himself depicted as a Jesus-like figure performing a miracle.

The post, shared on his Truth Social platform, shows the former president in a white robe, laying hands on a sick individual in a scene clearly modeled after biblical portrayals of Jesus Christ.

The imagery appears to be a direct response to escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the Vatican. Following recent criticisms from Pope Leo XIV regarding U.S. military posturing in the Middle East, Trump’s choice to adopt messianic symbolism is being viewed by many as an aggressive assertion of his “divine mandate” to his base.

The background of the image further complicates the message, blending celestial light with nationalist symbols like the American flag and F-35 fighter jets.

When asked by reporters about the offense taken by the Catholic community, Trump dismissed the concerns as a lack of humor:

“Oh, they can’t take a joke… I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me… and they put it out on the internet… Somebody did it in fun. It’s fine. Have to have a little fun, don’t you?”

Trump: Pope Leo is “weak”

Earlier, Trump branded Pope Leo XIV as “WEAK” on crime and “terrible” on foreign policy.

Reporter: Why did you attack Pope Leo?

Trump: I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. We don’t like a pope who says it’s ok to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope that says crime is ok. I am not a fan of Pope Leo. pic.twitter.com/cj3oh1jSIL

— Acyn (@Acyn) April 13, 2026

Last week, Pope Leo said Trump’s warning that an “entire civilization will die tonight,” in reference to Iran, was “unacceptable.” The pope has also suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the war between the United States and Iran.

In his lengthy Truth Social post, the president claimed that the Catholic Church’s leadership had been “arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else” in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and claimed that he preferred the pope’s brother.