ZAP // Donald Trump / Social Truth
In the image, Trump holds a glowing sphere in one hand and, with the other, touches the forehead of an apparently sick man. The publication generated a wave of revolt among Catholics, who consider it disrespectful and “disgusting blasphemy”. Don’t mock God, says a (former) supporter.
The President of the USA, Donald Trumppublished this Sunday in his Social Truth an image generated by Artificial Intelligence in which he appears as a figure similar to Jesus.
The image aroused widespread criticism, including from some religious conservatives who usually support the American president, who on Monday deleted the publication.
The post, which Trump later said portrayed him as a doctor, came in the context of worsening of his confrontation with Pope Leowho has criticized the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran as inhumane, notes .
Shortly before releasing the image, Trump published a long fiery text against Pope Leo, accusing him of being “WEAK in fighting crime and terrible at foreign policy.”
Leo, the first pope born in the United States, responded to Trump’s attacks by saying not being “afraid at all” of the Trump administration and that he would continue to make his voice heard. In a powerful speech delivered on Monday in Algiers, denounced “neocolonial” world powers that they are violating international law, without specifically referring to the US.
Donald Trump’s post also appeared a few days after a meeting in which Pentagon officials warned the former Vatican ambassador to the USA that the USA has unlimited military power and that the Pope should take this into account.
During the meeting, Pentagon officials made a reference to the word “Avignon”, which was understood as a , and took on the contours of a scandal, with some people speaking in a Avignon-Gate.
O term is particularly sensitive to Catholicshistorians and history lovers: it refers to the French city that served as headquarters for the popes in the 14th century, after thehey of France Philip IV sent an army to Italywhere the troops attacked the pope then in office, Boniface VIIIafter years of conflict over who held the primacy of political power.
Sunday’s post, which showed Trump in a white robe and a seemingly healing hand resting on the head of a lying man, could open a rift between Trump and the religious rightwhose support was decisive for his victory in the 2024 elections.
In the image, with a aesthetics close to painting, Trump holds a glowing sphere in one hand and, with the other, touches the forehead of an apparently sick man. In the background you could see the Statue of Liberty, fireworks, a fighter jet and eagles.
Donald Trump denied on Monday that the image was intended to show him as a figure similar to Jesus, classifying this interpretation as “fake news”.
“The idea is to show myself as a doctor healing people, and I heal people”, he told journalists at the White House, shortly after the publication was deleted — not before it had already spread across social media.
Donald Trump / Social Truth
Brilyn Hollyhandwho was co-chair of the Republican National Committee Youth Council, wrote on X that “This is disgusting blasphemy. Faith is not a prop. You don’t need to portray yourself as a savior when your track record should speak for itself.”
Riley Gainesa former university swimmer and vocal critic of the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, who has appeared with Trump at rallies, wrote on the social network X that I couldn’t understand why Trump had published the image.
“Does he really believe this??” Gaines wrote. “One way or another, there are two things that are true. 1) A little humility it would be useful to you 2) Don’t mock God”.
Os Christian voters, including Catholicsconstitute an essential part of the Trump’s political base. The American president, who does not attend church regularly, won large majorities among Christian voters in the 2024 elections, including among Catholics, who were more divided.
After Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in July 2024, some evangelical supporters They said this was proof that it had been blessed by God.
David Gibsondirector of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, a Catholic university, said it was difficult to understand Trump’s motivation in attacking Leão and publishing the image, but it was also difficult to say whether American Catholics would turn against him.
“In the past, American presidents and American Catholics have disagreed with popes,” Gibson said. “But this is disrespect. And disrespect is very different from divergenceand therein lies the danger for Trump.”
At least eight members of the Trump Administration are Catholic, including the vice president JD Vance and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
