Trump Labels Pope Leo as ‘Feeble’ and Shares AI Image of Himself as Christ

President Trump unleashed a barrage of criticism against Pope Leo XIV late Tuesday, calling him “feeble” on crime and “terrible” regarding foreign policy. This outburst came alongside an AI-generated image depicting Trump as Jesus, performing a healing miracle.

Last week, Pope Leo condemned Trump’s alarming statement that an “entire civilization will die tonight” in relation to Iran, labeling it “unacceptable.” The pontiff also suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” might be exacerbating tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that the Catholic Church had been “arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else” during the Covid pandemic, expressing a preference for the pope’s brother. “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” Trump asserted. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!”

“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” he added, further escalating the rhetoric.

Pope Leo responded on Monday, emphasizing his commitment to peace. “I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly about the gospel message,” he told reporters. “I don’t want to get into a debate with Trump.”

“I will continue to speak out against war, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among states to seek just solutions,” he continued during a flight to Algiers, where he is set to embark on a 10-day tour across four African nations.

“Too many people are suffering in the world today,” he lamented. “Too many innocent people are being killed. Someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”

Trump also suggested that his election influenced the Catholic Church’s selection of Pope Leo in May 2025. “Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise,” Trump wrote. “He wasn’t on any list to be Pope and was only put there by the Church because he was an American.”

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” he claimed.

Trump concluded with a call for the pope to “get his act together,” urging him to use common sense and focus on being a great pope rather than a politician.

Approximately 40 minutes after his tirade, Trump shared the AI-generated image of himself as Jesus. In this depiction, he is illuminated by golden light, placing a hand on a sleeping man's forehead.

A nurse and a praying woman kneel beside the patient, while a man in camouflage observes. A fourth individual in green attire stands nearby. The background features a large U.S. flag, bald eagles, and military planes soaring through the sky.

Former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized Trump’s post, stating she was “praying against it.”

“On Orthodox Easter, President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trump’s war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus,” Greene expressed on X. “This follows last week’s post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an entire civilization.”

“I completely denounce this and I’m praying against it!!!” she added emphatically.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also responded to Trump’s remarks. “I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father,” he stated. “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician.”

“He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls,” Coakley concluded.