Faced with growing backlash, US President Donald Trump appears to have removed a controversial post from Truth Social that depicted him as a Jesus-like figure.
The AI-generated image, which showed Trump appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital bed, sparked strong criticism from across the US political spectrum, including some of his own supporters.
The post was shared just hours after Trump published a lengthy message criticising Pope Leo XIV, who has been outspoken about US and Israeli military actions in Iran.
The BBC has contacted the White House seeking clarification on why the post was removed.
The now-deleted image showed Trump dressed in a white robe, placing a glowing hand on a sick man’s forehead—imagery that critics said closely resembled traditional depictions of Jesus healing the sick.
The background featured symbolic elements such as the Statue of Liberty, a large US flag, fighter jets, an eagle, a nurse, a praying woman, and what appeared to be a uniformed soldier.
Criticism emerged quickly, including from figures considered close to Trump. Sean Feucht, a Christian activist involved in organizing faith-based events for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, said the image should be removed immediately, adding that there was “no context where this is acceptable.”
