On Monday, Donald Trump faced a wave of criticism after posting an AI-generated image that appeared to depict him in a Christ-like role — sparking accusations of blasphemy and “sacrilegious” behavior.
The image, which showed Trump in flowing robes placing his hand on a man in a hospital bed, quickly drew backlash online.
Not long after, the post was deleted.
“People were confused”
Speaking to CBS News, Trump said he removed the image because of the reaction it caused.
“Normally I don’t like doing that,” he said, “but I didn’t want to have anybody be confused.”
“People were confused,” he added.
Trump insisted the image had been misinterpreted. According to him, the intention wasn’t religious at all, he claimed it was meant to portray him as a doctor.
“You had the Red Cross right there, you had, you know, medical people surrounding me, and I was like the doctor, you know, as a little fun playing the doctor and making people better,” he said. “So that’s what it was viewed as.”
The post immediately drew backlash, not just from critics on the left, but from prominent voices within the religious right and conservative Christian circles, many of whom are usually among Trump’s strongest supporters.
But the president pushed back on suggestions that criticism from conservative activist Riley Gaines influenced his decision to delete the post.
Gaines had earlier questioned the post on social media, writing: “Is he looking for a response? Does he actually like this?” She added that “a little humility would serve him well” and warned that “God shall not be mocked.”
“I didn’t listen to Riley Gaines. I’m not a big fan of Riley, actually,” Trump said.
Despite her criticism, Gaines later signaled she still supports Trump, calling the post a misstep but not a dealbreaker.
“The truth social post missed the mark. It’s now deleted. Amazing!” she wrote, adding: “I don’t get my feelings hurt easy and I know with the President it’s really not personal.”
She ended her message on a more reflective note: “I want to spend eternity in a real place called Heaven. I’d love for Trump to be there too. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I’ll keep doing my part by speaking truth & doing my best to lead others to Christ.”
The ‘disturbing’ detail
Looking at the image as a whole, reactions online were, as mentioned, deeply divided. Some users brushed it off as absurd and even humorous, while others found one detail unsettling and troubling.
On X, user @juliaioffe shared the image with the caption, “Sorry, what is…that?”, pointing out what she saw as a strange and unclear detail in the picture.
The AI-generated image shows Donald Trump dressed in white and red robes, bathed in golden light reminiscent of traditional depictions of Jesus. He is seen placing his hand on the forehead of a man lying in a hospital bed, suggesting an act of healing.
Surrounding him was a nurse, a praying woman, and a man in camouflage, while another figure in a dark green uniform stands off to the side. Above them, several shadowy figures appear to hover in the sky—something that quickly caught users’ attention.
“What the heck is that creature in the middle?” one person asked.
Others took a more symbolic—or alarming—interpretation.
“Bible always mentions Satan is The Dragon with horns the Original Serpent and it also mentions there are many anti-Christ who are Fake Christians and worship the Devil,” @Art_509 wrote.
Another user, @Ernie030609, claimed: “I had Grok enhance it, looks like a demon walking away.”
@ctzGn offered a different theory: “In propaganda, the sender of the ‘leader’ is always hovering (over) him. So what this says is: Trump is sent by Baal.”
Some even drew pop culture comparisons. “That’s Sauron the Dark Lord,” @tashtom wrote, referencing The Lord of the Rings villain.
Still, not everyone was convinced the image deserved such intense scrutiny. One user pushed back against the speculation, writing: “Come on. This is such a hilarious and wholesome AI-generated image shared by Trump,” adding, “As funny as another innocuous pic he had earlier shared depicting himself as the Pope. People need to lighten up.”
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