'Jesus Trump' Image Sparks Blasphemy Backlash... Political Calculations Behind the Controversy [Current Affairs Show]

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show'

■ Host: Political Specialist So Jongseop

■ Producer: PD Park Sumin

■ Guest: Reporter Lee Hyunwoo

U.S. President Donald Trump posted an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated composite image likening himself to Jesus Christ on social media, sparking simultaneous backlash from both American conservative Christian and Catholic communities. This controversy, erupting as his approval ratings have been declining in the aftermath of the Iran war, is placing significant political pressure on the Republican Party ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

Truth Social Capture

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On April 13 (local time), President Trump uploaded an AI-generated image to Truth Social, the social media platform he operates. The image depicted Trump dressed as Jesus, placing his hand on an elderly man's head as if performing a healing miracle. The controversy erupted immediately. Conservative Christian organizations in the U.S. collectively condemned it as blasphemy, and criticism also surged across social media.

As the controversy spiraled out of control, President Trump deleted the image just 12 hours after posting it. Before deleting, he explained, "There was no religious intent whatsoever; I just thought I looked like a doctor," but this failed to convince the public. The immediate reason for the deletion was reportedly a direct request from House Speaker Mike Johnson, a fellow Republican. The fact that the ruling party's leadership felt compelled to request the sitting president to remove a social media post starkly illustrates the Republican Party's embarrassment.

However, the controversy did not end there. Soon after, President Trump uploaded a new image of Jesus embracing him, which again provoked a storm of criticism. Since surviving an assassination attempt during the 2024 presidential campaign, a narrative has been spreading among his supporters that "Trump is a leader chosen by God." Experts believe that Trump's repeated postings reflect his psychological intent to deify himself by leveraging the sentiments of his support base.

In conjunction with this, some analysts suggest that President Trump is attempting to frame the legitimacy of the newly launched Iran war as a "holy war." The Iran war drew heavy criticism domestically and internationally because President Trump abruptly chose to go to war despite ongoing negotiations. Amidst all this, President Trump claimed on social media that "the war with Iran is in accordance with God's will." Some view this as an effort to justify attacks on Iran-considered the heart of Shia Islam and a state sponsor of terrorism-by drawing parallels to the Crusades.

Attention is also being drawn to the increasing influence of religiously motivated aides in President Trump's inner circle. Earlier this month, during a White House Easter event, Special Religious Advisor Paula White publicly compared President Trump to Jesus, praising him as "a leader who has been betrayed and suffered." President Trump established a White House Religious Committee with her, inviting various Christian pastors and religious leaders. Reports indicate that they begin each day with a laying-on-of-hands prayer for President Trump, fueling concerns both inside and outside Washington D.C. that the elderly president is increasingly swayed by their flattery and religious rhetoric.

EPA Yonhap News

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President Trump's religious conflicts are not limited to the Christian community. He is also in serious conflict with Pope Leo XIV. As the first pope from the Americas, Leo XIV holds a special status in the U.S. Catholic community.

The conflict began with President Trump's claim on social media that the Iran war was in accordance with God's will. Pope Leo XIV publicly countered, stating that "God does not answer such prayers," directly criticizing Trump. When President Trump posted the provocative message "an entire civilization will disappear" ahead of negotiations with Iran, the pope immediately condemned it as an "unacceptable statement."

President Trump's response was not an apology but rather an aggressive counterattack. He asserted, "If it weren't for me, Leo XIV would never have become pope," and sharply added, "Stop pandering to the radical left." When pressed by reporters about whether he would apologize to the pope, President Trump flatly replied, "I have nothing to apologize for." He even sarcastically remarked, "Tell the pope that Iran has killed more than 42,000 innocent unarmed protesters in the past two months, and that nuclear armament can never be tolerated."

In effect, President Trump is willing to go to war with the pope for not supporting the Iran war, which poses a significant political risk for the Republican Party. Key swing states for the GOP, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, have high proportions of Catholic voters. President Trump's relentless verbal attacks on the widely revered pope in these regions are causing mounting concern within the Republican Party that its midterm election strategy could face serious setbacks.

In addition to external conflicts, signs of internal discord are also emerging within the Trump administration. The core issue involves Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both, whom President Trump has favored as potential successors, are reportedly growing more distant from him.

Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio are well-known devout Catholics. Both distanced themselves from President Trump in the conflict with the pope, indicating that he was in the wrong, and they have also publicly expressed negative views on the Iran war. Analysts suggest that these differences are straining their relationships with President Trump.

In particular, there is speculation that President Trump's abrupt appointment of Vice President Vance as chief negotiator for talks with Iran is a deliberate move to check his influence. The negotiations with Iran are currently extremely challenging. By saddling Vice President Vance-a possible rival-with the burden of these difficult talks, President Trump may be trying to politically exhaust him. That President Trump feels compelled to treat a once-favored successor as a political rival highlights the increasing complexity of the personnel landscape within his administration.

Reuters Yonhap News

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Amid these events, there is growing discussion-centered on the Democratic Party-about President Trump's fitness for office, with some even raising suspicions of dementia. They argue that his repeated posting of blasphemous images, insults toward the pope, and irrational remarks about the Iran war are signs of impaired judgment. Some Democratic lawmakers and experts are even calling for the invocation of the 25th Amendment to suspend the president from duty and have the vice president assume responsibility.

The Republican Party has immediately pushed back, but internal unease persists. Soaring prices due to the Iran war are putting financial strain on ordinary citizens, causing support for President Trump to rapidly decline. The president's repeated religious controversies are further darkening the Republican outlook for the midterm elections. Particularly concerning is the simultaneous alienation of both conservative Christian and Catholic voters, which could fracture the longstanding alliance between the GOP and its religious base.

There are warnings that the current situation may not simply blow over. If the Republican Party suffers a major defeat in the midterm elections, voices questioning President Trump's leadership are likely to grow louder within the party. With just over a year into his term, a lame-duck scenario could materialize, dramatically increasing uncertainty in U.S. foreign policy and the prosecution of the Iran war.

Meanwhile, AI-generated videos of President Trump are spreading online in the U.S. One widely circulated video depicts Trump walking on water at a golf course, enjoying a round of golf. Some are using these clips to mock him, and they are rapidly spreading on social media. This is seen as another example of how easily and widely AI can be used to manipulate the images of politicians.

Ultimately, there are simultaneous analyses that President Trump is strategically leveraging religious narratives about himself and concerns that he is effectively being manipulated by aides accustomed to religious flattery. Clearly, under the massive external variable of the Iran war, religiously driven political conflict is deepening internal divisions in the United States. The world is now watching closely to see where these trends in U.S. politics will lead.

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