Republicans Were Relieved Trump Deleted an Image of Himself as Jesus

Republicans in Congress predictably brushed off President Donald Trump’s social media screed railing against Pope Leo XIV, but several said they were glad to see Trump remove a separate post, of an image depicting himself as Jesus healing the sick.

“I’ll just call that ill-advised,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis told NOTUS after examining a printed copy of the image.

Trump’s posts on Sunday included a lengthy attack on Pope Leo, whom Trump called “WEAK on crime.”

The ire from the president comes as Leo has begun, nearly a year into his papacy, to speak out more explicitly about American policy. When Trump last week threatened to “destroy an entire civilization” in his war with Iran, Pope Leo said the escalation of war was “only provoking more hatred throughout the world” and urged peace.

“I would leave the church alone,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Monday when asked about his thoughts on Trump’s criticism of the pope.

Trump also posted, and later deleted, an image of himself in what appeared to be robes evoking artistic depictions of Jesus, touching a man’s forehead with light. Online, prominent conservative fans of the president and Christian leaders immediately condemned the image.

Trump deleted the image and walked back that post on Monday morning, telling reporters, “I thought it was me as a doctor” and that “I make people better.” He did not apologize for his criticism of the pope, saying, “Pope Leo said things that are wrong.”

Senators from the president’s party, as they returned Monday evening from a two-week recess, did their best to avoid criticizing the president for his posts about the pope. Many, though, said they were relieved he changed course on the image.

“I think one thing we love about our country is the healthy respect between government and religion, and this breached that healthy respect,” Sen. John Curtis told reporters of the image. “I found it offensive. As a Christian myself, I was offended by it. I think any religion should be offended by it. I would have been equally offended if he had made fun of Muhammad or any other religious leader, and I’m glad he took it down, but I’m sorry he posted it.”

Even some of the president’s most loyal allies were happy to see that the post was removed.

“I was glad to see the president take down that post he made,” said Sen. Steve Daines. “That was a good call.”

Sen. Josh Hawley agreed.

“There’s only one Jesus,” Hawley said. “So, you know, best to stick with that.”

But while not outright condemning the president’s online assault on the leader of the Catholic Church, Hawley also didn’t rush to defend Trump’s comments on Leo. “I think presidents and popes often disagree, but honestly, the office of the church is to give moral counsel to leaders, whether they like it or not,” Hawley said.

Some of his colleagues had harsher words — but for Pope Leo.

“I think what the pope is doing is a disgrace,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, who is Catholic, told reporters. “He’s turning the Catholic Church into a political platform. Look at the other day, this guy said, the pope said absolutely nothing while the [Iranian] regime was murdering 30,000 of its own citizens, and yet decides to weigh in for somebody who’s ending that kind of regime. It’s totally ridiculous.”

Whether that’s a reason for the president to lambast him that way, senators did not choose to say.

“The pope is entitled to his opinion, and so is the president,” Sen. John Kennedy told NOTUS.