Trump posts image of himself with Jesus after criticism from Pope

An apparently AI-generated image of Jesus embracing US President Donald Trump has reignited controversy around the Republican leader, coming just two days after he removed another post that drew backlash for seeming to liken himself to Christ.

Reposted on Mr Trump’s Truth Social account, the image depicts Mr Trump with his eyes shut, leaning temple-to-temple with Jesus, who is shown in the same pose.

Mr Trump appears behind a microphone, with an American flag visible in the background.

The original post carried the caption: “I was never a very religious man .. but doesn’t it seem, with all these satanic, demonic, child sacrificing monsters being exposed … that God might be playing his Trump card!”

The post surfaced as Mr Trump remains locked in a dispute with Pope Leo, the first US-born head of the Catholic Church and a vocal opponent of the war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Mr Trump renewed his attacks on the pontiff on Tuesday night.

In a separate post on Truth Social, Mr ‌Trump said “someone please tell Pope Leo” about the killings of protesters by Iran and added that “for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable”.

Pope urges ‘message of peace’ after Trump broadside

Earlier, Pope Leo said the world ⁠needs to hear a message centred on peace and coexistence.

Speaking aboard his flight from Algeria to Cameroon for the second stretch of a fast-paced 10-day African tour, the first American pontiff called for respect across communities and said his journey had underscored the value of dialogue among different peoples.

“Although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace,” the pope said, pointing to his two days in largely Muslim Algeria, where Catholics make up a small minority.

“To promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to ‌hear today.”

Pope steps up criticism of Iran war

Leo, who will mark one year at the head of the 1.4-billion-member Church in May, kept a comparatively low profile during his first 10 months as pope. In recent weeks, however, he has emerged as a forceful critic of the US-Israeli war with Iran.

He told Reuters on Monday that ‌he intended to continue speaking out against the war, regardless of Mr Trump’s remarks.

US Vice President JD Vance also said yesterday that it was important for the pope “to be careful when he talks about matters ⁠of theology” in relation to conflict.

Donald Trump has said an AI image showed him as a doctor

The pope did not directly respond to those remarks during today’s flight.

Instead, he referred to the writings of ‌one of his spiritual guides, St Augustine of Hippo. Leo said the saint, who died in the ⁠year 430, had ‌a vision “to seek for unity among all peoples and respect for all peoples, in spite of the differences”.

He arrived this afternoon in Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital, where he was due to meet President Paul Biya, the 93-year-old who is the world’s oldest ruler, and speak to national leaders.

Separatists pledge safe passage for visitors

Leo is expected ⁠to call for an end to the long-running conflict in the country’s English-speaking regions and will head to the biggest Anglophone city tomorrow.

A ⁠separatist alliance said on Monday it would observe a three-day “safe travel passage” so civilians and visitors could move freely during the pope’s trip.

Leo, 70 and relatively young for a pope, is in good health and undertaking one of the most logistically demanding papal tours in decades.

He is covering nearly 18,000 kilometres across 18 flights to 11 cities and towns, with stops also planned in Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

The largest gathering of Leo’s tour is likely to come in Cameroon on Friday, when the Vatican said about ‌600,000 people are expected to attend a Mass in the coastal city of Douala.

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