House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been criticized online for attempting to excuse President Donald Trump after he posted an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure — and experts in political science weighed in on what Johnson’s refusal to condemn the post says about Trump.
The president was widely ripped across the political spectrum for posting the image on his Truth Social platform on Sunday — the same day he attacked Pope Leo XIV, calling him “WEAK on Crime” in another post. The image depicted the president wearing a white robe, with light emanating from one hand and apparently healing a sick man with the other.
The post was denounced by religious leaders and prominent Democrats and Republicans — including some of his most outspoken supporters. The president later deleted it, telling reporters the following day that he thought the image depicted him as a doctor, not as Jesus.
Despite the backlash, Johnson didn’t denounce the image when CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi asked him about it on Tuesday.
“Was it blasphemy?” Stracqualursi asked.
