Social media post deepens tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
U.S. President Donald Trump has shared another controversial AI-generated image on social media, this time depicting himself being embraced by Jesus, as his public dispute with Pope Leo XIV intensifies.
The image, posted on Trump’s platform, showed a symbolic scene of Jesus placing an arm around the president in front of an American flag. Trump described the image as “quite nice,” despite criticism from some supporters and religious figures.
The post follows a series of attacks by Trump on Pope Leo, whom he previously described as “weak” on crime and foreign policy. Trump also amplified past social media posts linked to the pope before his election, criticizing his views on issues such as immigration and public health.
Vice President JD Vance added to the controversy, urging the pope to be “careful” when speaking on theological matters. His comments drew a response from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which defended the pope’s role as a spiritual leader and voice of the Church.
The exchange comes amid broader disagreements over global conflicts, particularly calls by Pope Leo for peace in ongoing wars, including tensions involving Iran.
The episode highlights a growing rift between political leadership in Washington and religious authorities in Rome.
The fallout underscores how faith, politics, and social media are increasingly colliding on the global stage.