Shortly after criticizing Pope Leo XIV in a lengthy social media post on Sunday, President Trump shared an apparently A.I.-generated image depicting him as a Jesus-like figure.
The image was posted on the president’s account on his social media platform, Truth Social, but had disappeared from his profile by late Monday morning. Mr. Trump told reporters outside the Oval Office soon after that he had taken down the post.
The image had showed Mr. Trump dressed in white and red robes, with the president’s hands emitting shining lights. His right hand was touching the forehead of a man lying on a bed in a hospital gown, evoking religious art that depicts Jesus healing the sick.
The illustration was posted without commentary, less than an hour after Mr. Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV in another post, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.” The pope, the first American-born pontiff to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, has spoken out against the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, condemning the “absurd and inhuman violence” unleashed by the fighting.
Responding to Mr. Trump’s comments, the pope said Monday that he has “no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do.”
While speaking to reporters on Monday, President Trump said that he would not apologize for his attacks on Pope Leo. “I’m just responding to Pope Leo,” he said. “There’s nothing to apologize for. He’s wrong.”
In the image posted on Sunday, the man in the bed is surrounded by figures looking up at Mr. Trump, including a medical worker with a stethoscope, a praying woman and a man in a camouflage uniform. The background of the image includes the Statue of Liberty, a building resembling the Lincoln Memorial, fighter jets, eagles, fireworks and a billowing American flag.
There was a swift backlash to Mr. Trump’s post across the political and ideological spectrum, including from some prominent conservatives.
“Does he actually think this?” Riley Gaines, the influencer and critic of transgender rights, posted on social media. She added, “God shall not be mocked.”
David Brody, an evangelical journalist with the Christian Broadcasting Network, called on Mr. Trump to take down the image. “This goes too far. It crosses the line,” Mr. Brody wrote on social media. “A supporter can back the mission AND reject this simultaneously.”
Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan, a Catholic Democrat from the Detroit suburbs, called the image “deeply offensive and disrespectful.” She added: “This is not a matter of politics or humor — it touches the core of our faith. Our Lord represents humility, sacrifice, compassion, empathy and truth. Everything he is not.”
Mr. Trump has posted a number of apparently A.I.-generated images of himself on social media over the last year, sometimes drawing significant backlash. In May 2025, after the death of Pope Francis, Mr. Trump posted an image of himself as pontiff, drawing criticism, including from Catholics.
In February 2025, Mr. Trump posted an image of himself wearing a crown on a magazine cover resembling Time, but called Trump, as he likened himself to a king.
Elizabeth Dias, Reid J. Epstein and Katie Robertson contributed reporting.
Claire Moses is a Times reporter in London, focused on coverage of breaking and trending news.
The post Trump Takes Down Post Depicting Himself as a Jesus-Like Figure appeared first on New York Times.
