Former United States President, Donald Trump, has sparked widespread international criticism after sharing an artificial intelligence-generated image portraying himself in the likeness of Jesus Christ, deepening an already tense rift with Pope Leo XIV.
The image, posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform on Sunday, showed him dressed in flowing white robes and enveloped in a radiant glow, with his arms stretched outward in a gesture resembling healing or blessing.
In the surreal composition, figures resembling angels or armed personnel float around him, while fighter jets streak across the sky and fireworks illuminate the background. The Statue of Liberty also features prominently, blending religious imagery with strong symbols of American nationalism.
The post has been widely interpreted as provocative, coming at a time of heightened friction between Trump and the Vatican leadership.
The controversy followed a series of recent verbal exchanges in which Trump accused Pope Leo XIV of taking a weak stance on global security and crime. He also criticised the pontiff’s comments on nuclear weapons and international conflicts, insisting that the Vatican’s position was detached from geopolitical realities.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, while defending his administration’s foreign policy approach and military decisions.
He further suggested that the election of Pope Leo XIV in 2025—the first American to occupy the papacy—may have been influenced by political calculations, alleging that the Catholic Church’s choice was shaped by relations with his presidency.
“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” he claimed, also describing the Pope as “very liberal” and “not a fan” of his governance style.
In response to global tensions, Pope Leo XIV had recently called for restraint and dialogue during prayers at St Peter’s Basilica, warning against what he described as a rising “delusion of omnipotence” among world powers.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money… Enough of war,” the Pope declared, urging global leaders to embrace peace and diplomacy. He also warned that no conflict could be divinely justified, stating that “God does not bless any war,” amid ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Beyond foreign policy disagreements, divisions between both figures have widened over immigration issues. Pope Leo has repeatedly condemned mass deportations and immigration crackdowns in the United States, describing them as incompatible with human dignity.
He also reportedly distanced himself from a US-backed Gaza peace initiative and cancelled a planned visit to the United States, choosing instead to meet displaced migrants—moves widely seen as subtle rebukes of Washington’s policies.
Relations between Trump and the Vatican had initially appeared cordial after Pope Leo’s election in 2025, with Trump describing it as a “great honour” for the United States. However, diplomatic tensions have since escalated amid recurring policy clashes and increasingly pointed public statements.
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Saturday’s AI-generated Jesus-themed post adds to a growing list of controversial social media content shared by Trump. In 2025, he had previously circulated an AI image depicting himself as the Pope, a post that also drew sharp criticism after it was amplified through official channels.
