Trump prayed in the Oval Office on September 1, 2017.Image: keystone
April 13, 2026, 8:39 p.mApril 13, 2026, 8:41 p.m
US President Donald Trump has tried to downplay the massive criticism of his self-portrait as Jesus. “I posted it and I thought it showed me as a doctor,” he told reporters at the White House. He assumed that he had been portrayed as a “Red Cross employee”. Trump did not address the clear, dramatic staging of the image, which artists often use in religious contexts. But he deleted the picture again on Monday evening.
The AI image for which the US President was criticized.Image: www.imago-images.de
On Sunday evening, a picture showing him as Jesus was published on Trump’s profile on the Truth Social platform – shortly after a dispute with Pope Leo XIV. Trump can be seen placing his hand on the forehead of a man lying down. Around Trump, a soldier and a nurse, among others, look up to him. The US flag, the Statue of Liberty and an eagle as the emblem of the United States can also be seen. The corresponding post and image have now been deleted.
After massive criticism from Trump, Pope Leo XIV made it clear that he did not want to be intimidated by the US President. “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration,” he said. The US President had previously accused him of pursuing a “terrible” foreign policy. Leo had obviously incurred the wrath of the White House with his repeated appeals for an end to the current wars.
Pope Leo XIV is “not afraid of the Trump administration.”Image: www.imago-images.de
There was massive criticism of the self-portrait on social media. Critics accused the president of blasphemy and pronounced narcissism. In addition to political opponents such as Democrat Bernie Sanders, Trump faced headwinds, particularly from religious circles. (sda/dpa)