Bbc News
@bbcnews·20.1M subscribers·32.9K videos
Trump deletes portrait as Jesus Christ figure - after feud with Pope over Iran | BBC News
Posted
April 13, 2026
Views
274,381
Likes
2,409
Comments
1,318
Engagement
April 13, 2026
274,381
2,409
1,318
1.36%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
15:58Now PlayingDonald Trump has removed a controversial Truth Social post depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure, after a growing backlash.
The AI-generated image, which showed Trump appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital bed, sparked fierce criticism from across the US political spectrum, including from some of Trump's most ardent supporters.
It was published hours after Trump posted a lengthy message attacking Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of the US and Israeli military operation in Iran, calling him "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy".
Pope Leo - the first American Pope - has condemned the war in Iran, saying it has led to "absurd and inhuman violence". The Pope said he had "no fear" of the Trump administration or "speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do".
Trump acknowledged posting the picture, telling reporters he thought it was "me as a doctor". The now-deleted image showed Trump, wearing a white robe, with a glowing hand on the forehead of a sick man, which critics said was similar to religious paintings showing Jesus healing the infirm.
The background of the images included the Statue of Liberty, a large US flag fluttering, fighter jets and an eagle, as well as a nurse, a woman praying and what appeared to be a soldier in uniform.
Meanwhile US warships have begun enforcing a blockade of Iran and the strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have edged up after the failure of peace talks between the US and Iran. And in Lebanon, Israel is continuing its assault in the south of the country.
Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Aleem Maqbool, James Landale, Frank Gardner, Sarah Smith, Chris Mason, Simon Jack and Hugo Bachega.
Subscribe to our channel here
For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news
#BBCNews
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
