The image — which Trump first posted on Truth Social late Sunday and deleted sometime Monday morning — is a rendering of Trump dressed in white robes in a Christ-like pose, placing a glowing hand over a sick man lying in a hospital bed, as if healing him. The image was adorned with patriotic imagery in the background, including the American flag, the Statue of Liberty and bald eagles.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on either the criticism or deleting the post. But Trump denied any reference to Jesus, telling reporters at the White House Monday that he thought he was being depicted as a doctor in the image he shared.
“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross,” he said. “Only the fake news media could come up with that.” He added: “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better.”
The image was posted shortly after Trump blasted Pope Leo XIV in a 334-word message on Truth Social over his condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, calling the pontiff “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.”
Trump doubled down on his scathing remarks toward the Pope and told reporters that he would not apologize because “Pope Leo said things that are wrong.”
The criticism towards the president was striking, as he has long enjoyed strong support from the religious right — many of whom defended him from past controversies.
The pushback was especially notable from conservative figures who have aligned themselves closely with Trump and the MAGA movement.
“This is gross blasphemy,” wrote Gen-Z Trump ally and conservative commentator Brilyn Hollyhand. “Faith is not a prop. You don’t need to portray yourself as a savior when your record should speak for itself.”
Riley Gaines, who advocates against transgender athletes in women’s sports and has been invited to the White House by the Trump administration on numerous occasions, condemned the image.
“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?” Gaines wrote, adding: “Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well. 2) God shall not be mocked.”
Ari Fleischer, who was White House press secretary under George W. Bush and has repeatedly defended and supported Trump in the past, called the post “embarrassing.”
“President Trump’s team never should have posted this image. If he saw it first, he never should have approved it,” wrote Fleischer. “It’s inappropriate and embarrassing. It’s offensive.”
Jon Root, a writer at the conservative sports and culture website OutKick, called the post “blasphemous,” criticizing longtime Trump adviser Paul White-Cain, who leads the White House Faith Office.
The backlash comes as Trump has increasingly invoked religion in defending his policies, particularly his military actions in Iran, underscoring a possible rift between him and his religious base.
Trump’s military actions in the Middle East have put the White House at odds with the Vatican, as the Trump administration has repeatedly used religion to justify the war.
American bishops felt “disheartened” by Trump’s attacks on Leo, who himself appears to be unbothered by the president’s comments.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration,” Leo told reporters Monday on a plane to Algeria, dismissing the president’s remarks altogether.
Megan Messerly contributed to this report.