Trump Deletes AI Imagery Amid Backlash from Religious Allies and Vatican Feud

Trump claims controversial portrayal in hospital scene was meant to depict a “Red Cross worker” following public outcry from religious allies.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump removed a controversial social media post Monday morning after an AI-generated image depicting him in a messianic role sparked a wave of condemnation from Catholic leaders and conservative Christian allies.

The image, posted to Truth Social on Orthodox Easter Sunday, featured the President clad in flowing red and white robes reminiscent of classical depictions of Jesus Christ. In the digital painting, Trump is shown leaning over a man in a hospital bed, his hand radiating light as he appears to perform a miraculous healing. The scene was crowded with American iconography, including fighter jets, eagles, and the Statue of Liberty.+2

Rare Rebukes from the Religious Right

While the President frequently maintains strong support from religious conservatives, this specific imagery drew sharp public criticism from within his own base:

• Michael Knowles, a prominent Catholic commentator, publicly urged the President to delete the picture, suggesting it was a spiritual and political mistake.
• Isabel Brown, a Catholic influencer, described the post as “disgusting and unacceptable,” calling it a misreading of the American faithful.
• Megan Basham, a conservative author, labeled the post “outrageous blasphemy” and called for the President to seek forgiveness from God.

The backlash was not limited to commentators. Even political allies like former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly denounced the imagery, stating she was “praying against it.”+1

The “Red Cross” Defense

Speaking to reporters on the White House tarmac Monday afternoon, President Trump dismissed the notion that the image was religious.

“I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with the Red Cross… as a Red Cross worker, which we support,” the President said. “Only the fake news could suggest [it was Jesus]. It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better.”

Despite this explanation, the image contained no Red Cross branding and featured the President in ancient tunics rather than modern medical attire.

Escalating Tensions with the Vatican

The controversy follows a period of heightened friction between the White House and Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pope. The pontiff has been an outspoken critic of the administration’s military actions in Iran, recently condemning what he called a “delusion of omnipotence” in Western foreign policy.+1

On the same night the image was posted, the President launched a verbal broadside against the Pope, calling him “very liberal” and “weak on crime,” while claiming that Leo XIV only holds his position because he is an American. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump told reporters.

The removal of the post came as the White House Religious Liberty Commission—which includes leaders like Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Franklin Graham—was scheduled to meet, though the White House has not officially confirmed if the meeting influenced the decision to delete the content.