The image, posted on Truth Social on Sunday, showed Trump in white robes appearing to heal a man in a hospital bed. While Trump has often clashed with political opponents, this post struck a nerve among evangelical Christians and conservative Catholic supporters—many of whom have previously backed him. Criticism came swiftly and publicly.
Christian influencer Mandy Arthur wrote on Twitter, “God, we might have made a mistake and accidentally elected the Antichrist.” Conservative activist Sean Feucht said, “There’s not context where this is acceptable,” calling for the image to be deleted. Riley Gaines said, “A little humility would serve him well.” By Monday morning, Trump had removed the post. Speaking to reporters, Trump denied the intent behind the image. He said, “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. Make people a lot better.” The controversy comes amid Trump’s escalating feud with Pope Leo XIV, whom he recently called “weak” over criticism of U.S. actions in Iran. The Pope responded by emphasizing the Gospel’s message of peace and dialogue. While Trump’s attacks on the Pope and comments about Iran have drawn criticism, they did not provoke the same level of outrage from his religious supporters. The reaction to the AI image, however, signals a rare and visible divide within Trump’s core MAGA base—raising questions about how far that loyalty may stretch.
