Trump’s deleted AI ‘Jesus’ post reignites deepfake debate after allies’ backlash

An AI-generated image shared by Donald Trump depicting him as a Jesus-like figure, faced intense criticism and widespread condemnation on Sunday. Even religious conservatives, who typically support the former president, expressed outrage over the post, which was subsequently removed after the backlash. The image-which showed Trump appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital- triggered

Backlash from across the political spectrum, leading him to delete the post. Simultaneously, Trump sparked further controversy by posting a lengthy message criticizing Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran.

According to the BBC, the deleted image depicted Donald Trump in a white robe, placing a glowing hand on a sick man’s forehead-a composition critics likened to traditional religious paintings of Jesus healing the infirm. The background was densely packed with national symbols, including the Statue of Liberty, a large US flag, fighter jets, and an eagle. The scene featured a mix of figures representing service and faith, specifically a nurse, a soldier, and a woman praying. Despite the religious comparisons, Trump later told reporters he viewed the image more literally, claiming it showed him as a doctor standing next to a Red Cross worker.

In this connection, Sean Feucht- a Christian activist who is working on a series of faith-based events to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence this year said: “This should be deleted immediately, as there’s no context where this is acceptable.”

The controversial image was posted less than an hour following a separate post from the US president in which he criticized the pope, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.”

The recently circulating AI-generated image is not the first time Trump’s Truth Social has drawn widespread criticism. In February, a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was posted on his account before being removed. Initially the White House defended the clip as an “internet meme video” and told critics to stop their feigned indignation. However, following intense backlash- including from several Republican senators- the post was deleted, with the administration claiming a staffer had “erroneously” posted it.