Trump deletes social media post depicting himself as Jesus after outcry from religious leaders

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on April 13 deleted a social media image apparently depicting himself as Jesus Christ after an outcry from religious leaders that he was being blasphemous.

The image posted on Mr Trump’s Truth Social platform showed him in flowing red and white robes, touching the forehead of what appeared to be a sick man and with light shining from his hands.

An American flag waved in the background while various figures gazed up at him in reverence.

The picture created with artificial intelligence was posted late on April 12 and removed on April 13.

Asked about the post, Mr Trump denied that he was trying to look like Jesus Christ. “I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do Red Cross,” he told journalists. “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.”

The post generated an outcry from several prominent conservative Christians who are among Mr Trump’s biggest backers.

“I don’t know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this outrageous blasphemy,” Ms Megan Basham, a conservative journalist and commentator wrote on social media platform X. “He needs to take this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God.”

Mr Trump has previously used religious images in his posts. During his 2023 bank fraud trial, he shared a sketch from a supporter that showed him sitting next to Jesus in the courtroom.

His advisers have repeatedly cast him in a Jesus-like role.

During an Easter lunch event at the White House earlier in April, Ms Paula White-Cain, a televangelist who has served as his spiritual adviser, likened Mr Trump to Jesus.

“You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It’s a familiar pattern that our Lord and Saviour showed us.”

‘Spared’ for a reason

Mr Trump has more avidly embraced his perceived messianic role since the July 2024 assassination attempt, said Dr Matthew Taylor, a visiting scholar at the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University who studies Christian nationalism.

“Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason, and that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness,” Mr Trump told supporters in his victory speech after his 2024 election win.

The Jesus image post could further fracture Mr Trump’s base at a time when they are questioning the Middle East war, particularly Roman Catholics offended by his public spat with Pope Leo, who has criticised the US’ bombing of Iran, Dr Taylor told AFP.

“A lot of right-wing supporters were already pushing back against the war in Iran. The rift was already emerging for a lot of his Catholic base, and with the denunciations of Pope Leo, this does threaten to alienate that crowd,” he said.

But Dr Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a historian at Calvin University, does not see the support among his die-hard fans wavering.

His conservative Christian supporters “are keeping their distance from what would clearly count as blasphemy”, she told AFP.

“But I also see a lot of dodging: Yes, blasphemy is bad, this is inappropriate, he should take this down,” she said. “What I’m not seeing is in any way suggesting that they’re not going to continue supporting the man.” AFP