US President Donald Trump is refusing to apologize after launching social media attacks against Pope Leo XIV and sharing an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, according to Al Jazeera.
The image, which appeared on Trump’s Truth Social platform on Sunday before being deleted on Monday, showed the President in a white robe placing a hand on a man’s head in a scene resembling a healing.
Trump also used the platform to criticize the Pope, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump defended the deleted post, claiming he thought the image depicted him “as a doctor” and was related to the Red Cross.
“And had to do with the Red Cross as a Red Cross worker, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one,” Trump said.
He further stated that he does not “want a Pope who criticises the President of the United States.”
Religious and political backlash
The President's remarks have drawn criticism from high-ranking Catholic officials and international leaders.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed disappointment in the President's rhetoric.
“I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician,” Coakley said in a statement.
Coakley added that the Pope “is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”
In Las Vegas, Archbishop George Leo Thomas praised the Pope’s willingness to address political leaders.
“We are grateful to God for sending us Pope Leo XIV, who is willing to speak truth to power just when we need him the most,” Thomas said.
Thomas noted that the Pope is “calling for dialogue over diatribe, prayer over politics, and diplomacy above destruction.”
Pope Leo XIV addressed the tension while traveling to Algiers for an 11-day visit to four African countries.
“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” the Pope told reporters on Monday.
He emphasized his commitment to global stability, stating, “I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems.”
He added, “Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”
Al Jazeera reported that tensions between the White House and the Vatican have been rising for months over US immigration policies, military actions, and the US-Israel war on Iran.
