WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump moved swiftly Monday to clarify that an AI-generated image of himself dressed in white robes, emitting light from his outstretched hands while healing a bedridden man as bald eagles, fighter jets, and the Statue of Liberty looked on approvingly was not, as widely reported, a depiction of Jesus Christ.

"I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross as a Red Cross worker, which we support," the President told reporters, adding that only the fake news media could have interpreted the image otherwise. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on which aspect of standard Red Cross iconography includes divine luminescence emanating from the healer's palms.

The image, which Trump posted to Truth Social late Sunday and deleted by Monday afternoon, had by that point drawn condemnation from evangelical Christians, conservative commentators, and several figures who have visited the White House at the President's personal invitation. Riley Gaines, a frequent White House guest and anti-transgender sports activist, wrote that "God shall not be mocked" and that "a little humility would serve him well." Megan Basham of The Daily Wire called the post "OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy" and requested that Trump seek forgiveness from the American people and then from God, in that order.

An administration official, speaking to the Washington Post on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the image crossed a line, while noting that supporters routinely portray the President in what the official described as "quasi-messianic" terms at campaign rallies and that the primary distinction here was that the President had done it himself.

The post was published the same evening Trump issued a 334-word attack on Pope Leo XIV, calling the pontiff "WEAK on Crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy" after the Pope condemned the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. The Pope, speaking to reporters Monday from a plane to Algeria, said he had "no fear" of the Trump administration and would continue speaking out against the war. The President said he would not apologize because "Pope Leo said things that are wrong."

Trump has previously shared an image of himself alongside Jesus Christ during his 2023 fraud trial. That image was not deleted.

The current image was originally circulated in February by conservative commentator Nick Adams. Trump's version modified the background, replacing a soldier with a horned, demon-like figure. The administration did not explain the editorial decision.

The post appeared the same weekend that ceasefire talks with Iran collapsed, and as the administration faces scrutiny over proposed Medicaid cuts projected to remove nearly 12 million Americans from health insurance coverage. The President spent the evening at a UFC event in Miami.

"It's supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better," Trump said. "And I do make people a lot better."