Trump says controversial AI image portrayed him as a doctor

Published: 2026-04-13 18:29:55 ET DJT

Published on 04/13/2026 at 06:29 pm EDT - Modified on 04/13/2026 at 06:30 pm EDT

STORY: :: Trump says an AI-generated image he posted portrayed him as a doctor

:: The image drew widespread criticism before it was deleted

[REPORTER:] "Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ...?

[TRUMP:] "Well, it wasn't depict... It was me, I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor. And it had to do with the Red Cross. There's a Red Cross worker there, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one. So I had, I had... I just heard about it and I said, 'How did they come up with that?' It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better."

The post on Trump's Truth Social platform, which Trump later said was meant to portray him as a doctor, came amid his escalating feud with Pope Leo, who has criticized the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran as inhumane. Shortly before publishing the image, the president posted a lengthy screed against Pope Leo, calling him "WEAK on crime and terrible for Foreign Policy."

Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, said in response to Trump's attacks that he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out. In a forceful speech on Monday in Algiers, he denounced "neocolonial" world powers who are violating international law, without specifically referring to the United States.

Sunday's post, depicting Trump in a white robe with an apparently healing hand on a prone man's head, could create a rift between Trump and the religious right, whose support was critical to his victory in the 2024 election.