ToplinePresident Donald Trump insisted an image he posted on Sunday night to Truth Social did not depict him as Jesus Christ healing the sick, claiming he thought it showed him as a doctor—hours after conservative Christian supporters criticized the post.Part of an image shared by President Trump on Truth Social. Truth SocialKey FactsTrump had posted the image Sunday evening after 9 p.m. EDT, but appeared to remove it sometime Monday before noon.When asked by reporters about the image at the White House on Monday afternoon, Trump said he was responsible for posting the photo and insisted the image “wasn’t a depiction,” instead claiming, “it’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better, and I do make people better, I make people a lot better.”Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a former Trump stalwart who left Congress after breaking with Trump last year, led the backlash in a post on X, calling out the president for posting the photo on Orthodox Easter and declaring, “I completely denounce this and I’m praying against it!!!”More criticism came from Christian contributors to the Daily Wire, the conservative media company founded by Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing, including pundit Michael Knowles, who implored Trump to take down the photo and writer Megan Basham, who did the same, calling the image “OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy.”Anti-trans activist and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, a conservative celebrity Trump has repeatedly praised, and who has attended White House events, also called out the post, insisting “a little humility would serve him well” and “God shall not be mocked.”Trump’s post also sparked backlash among “never Trump” conservatives, including New York Times columnist David French, who called the post “self-evidently deranged,” and former Rep. Justin Amash, a former Michigan Republican who voted for Trump’s impeachment in 2019.Trump Blames ‘fake News’The image depicts Trump wearing white and red robes while laying hands on a sick man. Both of Trump’s palms are shining with beams of light, while a group of people look up to him, including a woman in medical scrubs, a man in a military uniform and a woman holding her hands out in prayer. “I thought it was me as a doctor, and it had to do with Red Cross, there’s a Red Cross worker there which we support,” Trump insisted on Monday afternoon. Trump shrugged off any suggestion of a religious context, and instead blamed the backlash on the news media—insisting “only the fake news could come up with that one.” The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from Forbes concerning the photo.Key BackgroundTrump’s post came shortly after a lengthy tirade against Pope Leo, the first American-born priest to lead the Catholic Church. The president dismissed the pope, insisting he was only selected to succeed Pope Francis because of Trump’s electoral victory in 2024. The pope has repeatedly spoken out against the Trump administration’s war in Iran, insisting “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.” Leo’s condemnations of the war from Christian morals have directly contradicted administration figures like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has led prayer services at the Pentagon asking for “overwhelming violence” against America’s enemies. Trump continued his attacks against the pope while speaking to reporters on Sunday night. “He’s a very liberal person and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime. He’s a man that doesn’t think we should be toying with a country that want a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.” Trump doubled down on his criticism of Leo on Monday, refusing to apologize and insisting, “Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result.” Trump also repeated his assertion the pope is “weak on crime and other things.”Crucial QuoteSpeaking to the Associated Press, the pope insisted “the things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone, and the message of the Gospel is very clear: blessed are the peacemakers.” Later, the pope noted “to put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is.”Reported Tensions Between Washington And RomeA rift has been growing between the Trump administration and Vatican, according to a Free Press report earlier this month that detailed a contentious meeting between Trump administration officials and with church officials. According to the original report, Defense Department officials reminded the Vatican of the U.S.’s considerable military power, and invoked the Avignon Papacy—a period of time in the 1300s when the French monarchy exercised considerable control over the church. The Pentagon later confirmed the meeting took place, but told Religion News Service the original report was “exaggerated and distorted,” and the meeting was actually a “respectful and reasonable discussion.”Surprising FactIn both his 2016 and 2024 presidential election victories, Trump was aided by considerable support from conservative evangelical Christians. These religious supporters remain one of Trump’s most fiercely loyal demographics, according to polling published by Pew Research in February. The president had a 69% approval rating from white evangelicals in January 2026, according to Pew’s data, compared to a 52% approval rating from white Catholics. However, significantly fewer believe Trump acts “ethically” while in office, according to the research. Only 40% of white evangelicals had confidence in Trump’s ethics, compared to only 34% of white Catholics. His support was even lower among non-white religious demographics, with only 23% approval from Hispanic Catholics and 12% approval from Black protestants.Further ReadingForbesPope Leo Says He Has ‘No Fear’ Of Trump Administration After President Attacks HimBy Siladitya RayForbes‘Enough Of War,’ Pope Leo XIV Says In Latest Condemnation Of U.S.-Iran ConflictBy Conor MurrayForbesPentagon Confirms It Met With Vatican—But Denies Reports Of A Bitter Clash—Amid The Pope’s Mounting CriticismBy Conor Murray