Trump Faces Backlash After Posting Offensive AI-Generated Image of Himself as Jesus Christ

Former US President Donald Trump has come under fire for posting an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, depicted healing a sick man with angels and an American flag in the background. The image, shared this week, is the latest in a series of controversial AI-generated posts by Trump, including depictions of himself as the Pope and racist clips portraying former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.

The latest post appears to have crossed a line for even his most ardent supporters. Following widespread criticism from Christian and far-right influencers, Trump deleted the image, offering a puzzling explanation to reporters. He claimed he thought the image was of himself “as a doctor” — an excuse that sparked further ridicule, as it implied Trump believes doctors dress in Christ-like robes.

Conservative Outrage and the ‘GOP Holy War’

Despite Trump’s attempts to downplay the controversy, the backlash intensified, with conservative and Christian activists condemning the image as blasphemous. The incident has fueled what some are calling a “GOP holy war”, highlighting the growing collateral damage to Trump’s public image from his offensive AI-generated posts.

“I support Trump, and I spend eight hours a day defending him. I will not defend blasphemy.” — Conservative political commentator Cam Higby, in a tweet.

“A little humility would serve him well.” — Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines, in a social media post.

The timing of the controversy was particularly awkward, as Trump had recently criticized Pope Leo in a rambling Truth Social post, accusing the pontiff of being “WEAK on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” Pope Leo had previously criticized Trump’s threats regarding the war in Iran, calling the president’s rhetoric “truly unacceptable” and urging others to contact political leaders to advocate for peace.

While the Pope’s exact reaction to Trump’s depiction of himself as Jesus remains unclear, the latest backlash underscores how Trump’s already tarnished public image continues to suffer due to his frequent posting of offensive AI-generated content on social media.

History of Controversial AI-Generated Posts

This is not the first time Trump’s AI-generated posts have sparked outrage. In February, he shared a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Initially, Trump claimed he “didn’t see” part of the video, while the White House defended it as an “internet meme.”

The video drew criticism from both sides of the political aisle, including from Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who called it the “most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Despite the White House removing the clip, the backlash persisted.

Experts have warned that the White House’s attempts to dismiss offensive AI-generated content as “memes” may be an effort to trivialize it. David Rand, a professor of information science at Cornell University, told the Associated Press in January,

“This presumably