Originally published in The Christian Post
Evangelist and Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham issued a statement Thursday morning dismissing the backlash to President Donald Trump’s since-deleted social media post depicting him as a robed, Christ-like figure with light emanating from his hands.
“I do not believe President Trump would knowingly depict himself as Jesus Christ — that would certainly be inappropriate,” Graham said. “I’m thankful the President has made it very clear that this was not at all what he thought the AI-generated image was representing — he thought it was a doctor helping someone, and when he learned of the concerns, he immediately removed the post.”
After deleting the Truth Social post Monday following pushback from many of his supporters and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Trump dismissed allegations that he was attempting to liken himself to Christ. He instead said he thought the AI-generated image of him in first-century Middle Eastern garb depicted him as “a doctor” who was healing people.
On Wednesday, Trump posted another meme depicting Jesus embracing him at a podium in front of an American flag. The meme caption suggested “God might be playing his Trump card” by elevating Trump to expose “these satanic, demonic, child-sacrificing monsters,” presumably referring to Democrats.
Graham suggested he believed the president’s explanation for the first Jesus meme, expressed approval for the second one and accused Trump’s detractors of being driven by ill intentions while attempting to spin a non-story.
“When I looked at the illustration, I didn’t jump to the same conclusion as some. There were no spiritual references — no halo, there were no crosses, no angels. It was a flag, soldiers, a nurse, fighter planes, eagles, the Statue of Liberty, and I think this is a lot to do about nothing,” he said.
“There is so much ill-intended speculation. I think his enemies are always foaming at the mouth at any possible opportunity to make him look bad.”
Graham used the more recent meme of Jesus hugging Trump as an opportunity to encourage everyone to seek Christ.
“I must say that I like the fact that this is a picture of Jesus whispering in his ear, or at least His hand on his shoulder, guiding him. We all need that — we all need to be listening to Jesus,” he said.
“Again, I think there is an attempt to spin this into something that it isn’t. Remember, President Trump didn’t draw this, he didn’t create it, he reposted it on his social media because he thought it was nice — I would have to agree.”
Graham’s defense of Trump comes amid the president’s ongoing public feud with Pope Leo XIV over the war in Iran, which Graham defended last month by citing the Old Testament example of King David.
Graham expressed hope in his Thursday statement that the pope, who reportedly has no plans of visiting his native United States under the Trump administration, could someday meet with Trump to thank him for his efforts in protecting religious liberty.
“I’m not a Catholic, I’m an evangelical, but I appreciate how President Trump has defended religious freedom for people of all faiths, including millions of evangelicals and Catholics in the US and around the world. He is the most pro-Christian, pro-life president in my lifetime, and he doesn’t shy away from it,” Graham said.
“I would hope that the President and Pope Leo can meet at some point, and that the Pope would have the opportunity to thank the president for his efforts to protect religious liberty for Catholics and people of all faiths,” he added.
Graham, a longtime Evangelical supporter of the president, has repeatedly made headlines in recent weeks. On Palm Sunday, Trump posted a private letter Graham sent to him last October, which urged him to seriously consider his eternal state, accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour and cease trusting in his own works if he hopes to go to Heaven.
Graham also participated in a White House Easter luncheon during Holy Week that prompted outrage when White House Faith Office leader and televangelist Paula White-Cain compared Trump’s political trajectory to the suffering and resurrection of Jesus.
During an address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Grapevine, Texas, last month, Graham said “it’s important that we do everything that we can” to get Trump “reelected.” He later walked back his remark, claiming he “misspoke” and was referring to reelecting Trump’s policies.
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