US President Donald Trump has yet again faced criticism after sharing an AI-generated image portraying himself as Jesus Christ on his Truth Social platform, shortly after launching a verbal assault against Pope Leo.
The president also hurled accusations that the head of the Catholic Church is “WEAK on Crime” and has a “terrible” approach to foreign policy. In one post, Trump suggested that Pope Leo’s position in the Vatican was dependent on his own presence in the White House.
These remarks follow the pontiff’s recent condemnation of the war in Iran, which he labelled “atrocious” while calling for a reduction in violence. The Pope had previously stated in a speech that God does not accept the prayers of leaders who start wars, describing such individuals as having “hands full of blood.”
Speaking at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday, the president doubled down on his criticism, telling reporters he is not a “fan” of the Pope, reports Sky News.
Trump claimed he opposed a religious leader who allegedly supports nuclear weapons and urban crime, despite the fact that Pope Leo has never expressed support for Iran possessing nuclear arms.
The AI-generated depiction of Trump as Jesus was posted without a caption alongside other late-night content, including images of Trump-branded hotels on the Moon.
While the president’s online base is typically loyal, this specific post drew atypical criticism, with some supporters urging him to remove it.
This follows a previous instance last year where Trump shared an AI-generated parody of himself in Apocalypse Now prior to deploying the National Guard to Chicago.
Responding to the administration’s rhetoric, Pope Leo told NBC News that he has “no fear” of the US government, asserting that his role is as a peacemaker rooted in the gospel rather than a politician.
During a flight to Algiers, the Pontiff further remarked to Reuters that the message of the gospel should not be “abused” and stated he had no desire to enter a debate with the president.
The diplomatic tension comes as international leaders voice concern over Trump’s impact on global stability.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, while visiting troops in Saudi Arabia, expressed frustration that actions by Trump and Vladimir Putin were driving up energy costs. Additionally, the chief of the Dutch armed forces described the President’s recent comments regarding NATO as “not wise.”
Against the backdrop of these disputes and the ongoing conflict in Iran, global oil prices have surged back above $100 per barrel. The Holy See has been contacted for official comments regarding the president’s recent statements and social media posts.
