Faith Leaders and Conservative Christians Push Back After Trump Shares AI Image Resembling Jesus

A single social media post from President Donald Trump sparked an unusual wave of criticism — not from his political opponents, but from conservative Christians and faith leaders who have long been among his strongest supporters. The image, which many compared to depictions of Jesus Christ in religious art, was quietly removed from Trump's account by Monday morning.

Late Sunday night, Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social showing himself dressed in flowing white and red robes, one hand placed on the forehead of a sick person and the other emitting a glow of light. The imagery immediately drew comparisons to traditional Christian artwork portraying Jesus performing acts of healing, and the response from the religious community was fast and pointed.

What Trump Said

When reporters asked Trump about the image during an informal press conference on Monday — which took place alongside a DoorDash delivery driver while Trump was apparently receiving a McDonald's order — the president said he believed the image showed him as "a doctor" and that it "had to do with" the Red Cross. The image, however, did not appear to contain any Red Cross symbols or references to medical relief work.

Criticism From His Own Base

What made the backlash stand out was its source. Much of the sharpest criticism came from conservatives and Christians who have consistently backed Trump.

Fox News contributor and conservative activist Riley Gaines was direct in her disapproval. She wrote, "Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he'd post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?" She added, "a little humility would serve him well" and "God shall not be mocked."

Conservative Gen Z commentator Brilyn Hollyhand posted a video response on X, saying that "comparing yourself, even jokingly, to Jesus ... undermines the very value that many of us hold dear." His post was captioned, "This is gross blasphemy."

Conservative Catholic podcast host Michael Knowles also weighed in, writing, "I assume someone has already told him, but it behooves the President both spiritually and politically to delete the picture, no matter the intent."

The Rev. Paul D. Erickson, bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, offered a wider perspective, telling Axios that the image is "another example of how the current administration is embracing Christian Nationalism." He argued that the approach "seeks to create an unholy and unhealthy alliance between political leadership and divine providence" and "confuses the kingdom of God with a particular government."

A Pattern of Similar Posts

This was not the first time Trump shared an AI-generated image with religious undertones that drew condemnation from Christians. Shortly after the death of Pope Francis, Trump posted a fabricated image of himself dressed in papal attire. That image was condemned by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, typically one of the more supportive voices in the Catholic Church toward the president.

Sunday's controversial image was posted less than an hour after Trump publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social, calling the head of the Catholic Church "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy." When reporters relayed those comments to the pope, Leo said he had "no fear" of the American administration.

Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he was "disheartened" by the president writing "such disparaging words about the Holy Father."

The incidents point to a growing rift between the Trump administration and Christian institutions more broadly. Despite a White House pledge to eliminate "Anti-Christian Bias" in federal policy, the administration's immigration enforcement actions and military decisions have put it in conflict with faith leaders across multiple denominations.

That divide has deepened in the context of the ongoing war in Iran. During a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday, three cardinals leading prominent U.S. archdioceses expressed support for Pope Leo XIV's calls for peace. Cardinal Robert McElroy stated that the conflict does not meet the standard of a "just war" under Catholic teaching and called it "a war of choice."

White Protestant and Catholic voters made up a substantial portion of the Christian voter base that helped return Trump to the White House, and episodes like Sunday's post suggest that the relationship between the administration and those communities remains under strain.