Donald Trump as Jesus image supposed to show him “as a doctor” US President claims after deleting social media post following backlash
Donald Trump has attempted to convince people the picture of him depicted as Jesus Christ was in fact supposed to show him “as a doctor” after deleting the controversial social media post.
US President Donald Trump claimed a now-deleted social media image showing him as a healing Jesus-like figure was supposed to be him as a doctor. The US leader posted the image - showing him in a white gown placing his hand on the head of a man apparently in a sick bed - on his Truth Social account, just hours after he criticised the Pope.
However, after outrage from many - including some religious groups - the post was later taken down. When quizzed on the depiction, the President said it was never intended to portray him as the Messiah. “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better," he said. “And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.”
It came after Mr Trump branded US-born Pope Leo “weak” after the pontiff spoke out against war. In the post, the president wrote: “Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise.
“He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
Reacting to the controversy, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe told BBC Newsnight: “I thought it was just, quite frankly, bizarre. People have often said that they think that it’s blasphemous. I think that implies an attack on Christianity, which President Trump I don’t think intended, but it does show a complete misunderstanding of what Christianity is about.”
Asked about Mr Trump saying the image depicted him as a doctor, Cardinal Radcliffe added: “I find it very strange. I’ve met many doctors in my life and none of them have glowed quite like that.”
Meanwhile, the Pope told reporters he would continue to “stand up and say there’s a better way” and that he is “not afraid of the Trump administration”, although he also said he did not intend to “get into a debate” with Mr Trump.
In his Easter message earlier this month, the pontiff had strongly criticised war, calling on “those who have weapons (to) lay them down”. He said: “Let those who have the power to unleash wars, choose peace.
“Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue. Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.”