Donald Trump deleted an AI image of himself as a figure similar to Jesus after receiving criticism, including from conservative Christian supporters who have long been known to loyally defend him. Launching a report from The Guardian, Tuesday, April 14, the upload appeared on Truth Social on Sunday, then was deleted after triggering a wave of protests.
The image features Trump with a light from his hand, as if healing a man in a hospital bed. Behind him, the figure of a horned devil appears. The post quickly provoked a reaction, especially as it appeared in the middle of Trump’s war of words with Pope Leo XIV.
Before uploading the picture, Trump first launched a long attack on Pope Leo on Truth Social. He called the Pope “weak on crime”, accusing him of being influenced by Democrat David Axelrod, then refused to apologize on the grounds that he was only responding to the Pope.
The harsh reaction came from the circle that usually defends Trump the most diligently. Riley Gaines, host of the Fox News podcast and conservative commentator, admitted that she didn’t understand why Trump uploaded the picture. Megan Basham, a writer at the conservative media Daily Wire, called it an outrageous blasphemy and asked Trump to delete it immediately and apologize. Isabel Brown, host of the Daily Wire, also called the upload disgusting and unacceptable. Meanwhile, Steve Deace, host of the right-leaning BlazeTV, only wrote one word: “No.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former member of Congress from the Republican Party in Georgia, also criticized. He had saved a screenshot of the upload before it was deleted and said he was praying against it.
When asked by reporters, Trump denied the image as a portrayal of himself as Jesus Christ. According to Trump, the image was meant as him as a doctor who makes people better. He even said he had indeed made many people better.
The Guardian also reported that the image was not an original work of Trump. The original version was first uploaded in February by Nick Adams, a conservative commentator known for often sharing Bible-flavored pro-Trump content created with AI. In Adams’ version, the background features a silhouette of an American soldier. In the version Trump shared, the figure was changed into a horned devil figure.
The outrage did not stop at X or among conservative commentators. Users of Truth Social, a platform that is usually almost without dissent against Trump, also turned around to condemn the upload. Vice President JD Vance tried to calm the controversy by saying the picture was just a joke. According to Vance, Trump deleted it because many people did not catch the humor.
This controversy has grown because it comes at a time when Trump is at loggerheads with Pope Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States. The Guardian wrote, the feud heated up after the Pope hinted at “delusions of omnipotence” in US foreign policy, especially regarding the Iran war. Trump then responded harshly, while the Pope confirmed that he was not afraid of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out against war.
The criticism also spread. Catholic bishops in America stood behind the Pope. Italian politicians, including Matteo Salvini who has long been known to be close to Trump, also judged the attack on the Pope to be useless and unwise. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also condemned Trump’s actions and called the use of the figure of Jesus for political vanity a desecration.
This issue is more sensitive because it comes after Easter and when Trump’s relationship with the Pope is hot. The strong reaction from conservative Christian supporters shows that, for them, religious symbols are not materials that can be used casually, even by figures who have always supported them.
Originally written by: Tim VOI
Source: VOI
Published on: 14 April 2026
Link to original article: Donald Trump Removes AI Image Similar to Jesus after Supporters Get Angry
