U.S President Donald Trump has defended a controversial social media post that showed him in a Jesus-like pose appearing to heal the sick, saying the image was misunderstood and insisting he had nothing to apologise for.
Speaking outside the White House’s West Wing on Tuesday, April 14, Trump said the post was meant to reflect his role as someone who helps people rather than offend religious believers.
“I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross,” he said.
“It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better.”
The image, which quickly sparked backlash online, was later removed from his social media platform.
Trump maintained that the criticism was misplaced and also dismissed remarks attributed to Pope Leo.
“Pope Leo said things that are wrong,” Trump said, adding that he would not issue an apology. “We believe strongly in law and order, and he seemed to have a problem with that, so there’s nothing to apologise for.”
Vice President J. D. Vance also weighed in, describing the post as lighthearted and suggesting it had been misinterpreted by critics.
“I think the president was posting a joke and, of course, he took it down because he recognized that a lot of people weren’t understanding his humour,” Vance said, noting that Trump often enjoys stirring debate on social media.
The image had disappeared by Tuesday morning. Trump later told reporters he had only recently learned about the controversy, while also confirming that he was responsible for sharing it initially.
The episode stands out as one of the faster reversals associated with Trump’s social media activity.
He frequently shares AI-generated images and videos on his Truth Social platform and has often distanced himself from their content when controversy arises.
Earlier this year, he reposted a widely criticized video portraying former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama in a racist depiction.
That clip remained online for several hours before it was removed, with the White House later attributing the post to a staff member while Trump declined to apologise.
