With light beaming from his palms and an American flag waving behind him, an AI-generated image of President Donald Trump healing a sick man sparked renewed outrage Sunday on Orthodox Easter. The post, which has since been removed, followed closely on the heels of a tirade denouncing Pope Leo as “weak on crime,” making this weekend particularly polarizing for the faith communities that elevated Trump to his current position.
In a brief statement at the White House on Monday, Trump claimed the image depicted him as a doctor.
“I did post it. I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, there’s a Red Cross worker there, which we support,” Trump said. “Only the fake news could come up with that one.”
The image, which was originally posted by one of Trump’s special envoys, Nick Adams, more than two months ago, is one of several images using AI to mimic the style of religious art to portray Trump as a savior for America. It wasn’t until the president reshared an altered version of the image that a broader audience took notice. The image has disappeared from Adams’ X account.
Now, religious leaders from across several denominations, including one of his own advisers on the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission, Bishop Robert Barron, are reacting to the post, prompting the rare removal from a social media feed littered with over-the-top images and claims.
