Trump Claims He Was Depicted as a Doctor and Not Christ in Deleted Post, Social Media in Disbelief
- Donald Trump has explained why he shared a controversial image online, saying only 'fake news' would find fault with it
- The United States Vice President, JD Vance, defended Trump, saying that the president was making a joke, which some did not get
- Social media users weighed in on Trump's explanation, expressing disbelief that he tried to downplay the issue in that manner
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
WASHINGTON, DC – Donald Trump has sought to explain why he shared a post to social media in which he depicted himself as a Christ-like figure, saying that only the fake news could make that assumption.
The President of the United States of America shared the image on Truth Social, sparking backlash online. It was posted after he criticised Pope Leo XIV for calling for peace in the Middle East following the attacks on Iran by Israel and the US.
The image depicted Trump as wearing a biblical-style robe and laying his hands on a man who appears to be bedridden. Light seemed to be coming out of the US President’s hands in the picture.
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The now-deleted image sparked backlash online, but Trump has defended himself, saying he wasn’t portraying himself as Jesus, as many believed.
Trump explains he was a doctor in the photo
Responding to questions about the post, Trump confirmed that he shared it but said it wasn’t him as Jesus.
“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and it had to do with the Red Cross. It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. A lot better,” he claimed.
The US President also said that only “fake news” could mistake him for Jesus in the post. The post has since been deleted, but Trump did not explain why it was.
JD Vance defends Trump
Speaking about the post, Vice President JD Vance defended Trump, saying it was a joke that people misunderstood.
“I think the president was posting a joke and, of course, he took it down because he recognised that a lot of people weren’t understanding his humour in that case,” Vance told Fox News' Bret Baier on Special Report.
Vance added that Trump liked to ‘mix it up on social media, saying it was a good thing that the president was not filtered.
Source: Getty Images
Social media users baffled by Trump’s explanation
Social media users weighed in on Trump’s explanation, expressing disbelief with the US President’s attempts to downplay the post.
@HadleySheley said:
“Lmao. ‘I thought it was me as a doctor’ has to be in the top five most ridiculous lies he’s ever told.”
@ColtSTaylor sarcastically stated:
“The Red Cross is famously known for its robes and magic.”
@Fievel131 added:
“I've never been to a doctor with heavenly light projecting out of his hand. I must have a cheap healthcare plan.”
@DowdEdward laughed:
“Well, that clears everything up.”
@kiddwikked stated:
“You would think with all the practice he has, he could tell better lies.”
@GeneralN42 exclaimed:
“Other health care professionals and I don’t walk around dressed in a robe and healing people with the divine light of God. This is nothing but gaslighting and another insult to Christianity. Enough.”
Trump claims Iran wanted him to become Supreme Leader
Briefly News also reported on Trump's claims that some in Iran wanted him to take over following the death of the Supreme Leader.
The previous Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran, which began on 28 February 2026.
Social media users weighed in on Trump's latest claims, sharing varying reactions to the US President's comments.
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Source: Briefly News
Byron Pillay (Current Affairs Editor) Byron Pillay is a Current Affairs Editor at Briefly News. He received a Diploma in Journalism from the Caxton Cadet School. He spent 15 years covering politics, crime and current affairs. He was also the Head of Department for Sports Brief, where he covered both local and international sporting news. Email: byron.pillay@briefly.co.za
The Associated Press (The Associated Press) The Associated Press (AP) is a not-for-profit news agency. The AP operates approximately 240 news bureaus across nearly 100 countries, producing content in English, Spanish, and Arabic.
