13.4.2026
President Donald Trump caused a stir Sunday night after he shared an Artificial Intelligence generated photo of himself dressed up as Jesus the healer.
This was after he posted on his Truth Social media platform lambasting Pope Leo XIV for criticising his war against Iran and his domestic policies.
Speaking on Trump behaviour, the General Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Bishop William Shomali said in an interview with Turkish news outlet Anadolu, said it is unacceptable for Trump to project himself in the image of Jesus Christ.
“If we consider Jesus Christ as a model, then we should emulate him—but that should be through his humility, spirit of service, and self-sacrifice, not through a desire for domination, authority, and marginalizing others,” Bishop Shomali said.
“Therefore, the problem is not that he (Trump) tries to emulate Jesus Christ, but rather that he tries to present himself as if he were a superhuman and great figure.
“This is not acceptable and is rejected,” Shomali added.
In 2025, Trump had similarly shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a pope, a post that drew widespread criticism after it was reshared by official government channels.