An AI-generated image shared by Donald Trump depicting himself as Jesus Christ has sparked considerable backlash, with some X users drawing attention to a disturbing detail that many initially overlooked.

Within the space of 24 hours, a heated online exchange erupted between the president and the pope, during which Trump branded Pope Leo XIV "weak on crime" and claimed he was "hurting the Catholic Church." The attack on the pontiff predictably drew widespread condemnation, ultimately prompting Trump to post an AI-generated image portraying himself as Jesus.

While the post caused offence among many onlookers, it came as little surprise from a president who has consistently cast himself as America's saviour. As recently as May 2025, he had shared a similar AI-generated image depicting himself dressed as the pope.

Trump appears to have since deleted the post.

Reactions were sharply divided — some brushed off the absurdity as amusing, while others viewed it as a deeply troubling development. X user @juliaioffe shared the image with the caption, "Sorry, what is...that?" drawing attention to an unsettling element within the picture.

In the image, Trump is shown wearing white and red robes, bathed in golden light characteristic of traditional religious portrayals of Jesus. He is depicted placing his hand upon the forehead of a sleeping man, seemingly implying an act of divine healing.

Kneeling around him are a nurse, a woman in prayer, and a man dressed in camouflage. On the far left, a figure in a dark green uniform stands watching, wearing a hat bearing something that appears illegible, reports the Irish Star.

Above him in the sky, three shadowy silhouettes can be seen hovering. The figures are difficult to identify clearly, yet users on X were quick to highlight their unsettling appearance.

One person questioned: "What the heck is that creature in the middle?"

@Art_509 commented: "Bible always mentions Satan is The Dragon with horns the Original Serpent and it also mentions there are many anti-Christ who are Fake Christians and worship the Devil."

@Ernie030609 shared: "I had Grok enhance it, looks like a demon walking away."

@ctzGn offered an alternative perspective, stating: "In propaganda, the sender of the 'leader' is always hovering (over) him. So what this says is: Trump is sent by Baal."

Baal is widely recognised in Hebrew scripture as a false deity and rival to Yahweh. The user suggested Trump had aligned himself with this figure as he continues to push back against the Pope's message.

User @tashtom speculated: "That's Sauron the Dark Lord," drawing a comparison to the Lord of the Rings antagonist renowned for employing sinister methods to seize absolute power.

Despite the flurry of theories, a number of X users felt the speculation surrounding the mysterious figures hovering above Trump had gone considerably too far.

One social media user commented: "Come on. This is such a hilarious and wholesome AI-generated image shared by Trump," before adding: "As funny as another innocuous pic he had earlier shared depicting himself as the Pope. People need to lighten up."