POTUS explains now-deleted Truth Social post that sparked backlash
President Trump responded to a controversial Truth Social post he shared on Sunday that appeared to depict him as Jesus Christ, drawing criticism from religious Americans
by Summer Lane | April 13, 2026
President Donald Trump on Monday explained a now-deleted Truth Social post from Sunday night that drew criticism from Christians, stating that his understanding of the post was “supposed to be me as a doctor.”
The post in question, which has since been removed from the president’s social media profile, depicted him wearing white and red robes, healing the sick, and surrounded by praying Americans. And, in the background of the photo, was a picture of what appeared to be angelic American soldiers.
The post was widely criticized, as it appeared that the artwork depicted President Trump roleplaying as Jesus Christ, the Messiah of the Christian faith:
“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support, and only the Fake News could come up with that one,” he said, when asked by a reporter whether he posted it on his account.
The president continued, “I just heard about it, and I said, how did they come up with that? It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better, and I do make people better, I make people a LOT better.”
The Truth Social post published Sunday book-ended another controversial post from the president, who roundly criticized Pope Leo XIV, who is the first United States-born pope in history.
The president harshly criticized Pope Leo after the Catholic religious leader condemned the war with Iran. “God does not bless any conflict,” the pope wrote on X. “Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of #Peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples.”
President Trump later responded to the pope’s comments on X, firing off, “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart.”
