US President Donald Trump has removed an AI-generated image from his Truth Social account that depicted him as a Christ-like figure, after the post drew widespread backlash from across the political and religious spectrum.
The image showed Trump dressed in robes, appearing to heal a sick man while surrounded by patriotic symbols including the American flag, eagles and military imagery. It was shared shortly after Trump’s public criticism of Pope Leo XIV over the Iran conflict and foreign policy.
Religious leaders, political figures and even some of Trump’s own supporters condemned the post as inappropriate and blasphemous. Several conservative commentators publicly urged the President to take it down. The image was deleted within hours of being posted.
The controversy marks the latest escalation in an ongoing clash between the White House and the Vatican. Trump had earlier attacked Pope Leo XIV as “weak on crime”, to which the pontiff responded that he was “not afraid of the Gospel” and called for peace and dialogue on the Iran war.
The episode has drawn attention beyond its domestic US context, particularly given that the Trump-Vatican standoff intersects with Sri Lanka’s diplomatic agenda — President Dissanayake extended a state visit invitation to Pope Leo XIV during his March 2026 Vatican visit.
