AI glitch or hidden meaning? Shadowy figures in Trump's now-deleted Jesus post divide social media

President Donald Trump has deleted a controversial AI-generated image from his Truth Social account following a wave of criticism from religious and political figures. The picture, which many viewers saw as portraying Trump as a messianic saviour, was removed after being online for about 12 hours.

Shadows and saviour imagery

The image shows Trump in white and red robes, standing over a man in a hospital bed. His hand glows as he touches the man's forehead, surrounded by a nurse, a soldier and a praying woman. Patriotic symbols such as the Statue of Liberty, fighter jets and the American flag fill the background.

While the image of Trump in red and white robes drew immediate fire, eagle-eyed users on social media quickly turned their attention towards the sky. Hovering above the scene were three dark, shadowy shapes that appeared to be floating. These silhouettes were difficult to identify, which led to a wave of unsettling theories across platforms like X.

One specific shape located directly over Trump’s head sparked the most debate. Some users used AI tools to sharpen the image and claimed the figure looked like a demon caught in the act of "running away". Others noticed a person in a green uniform on the far left of the picture, wearing a hat with text that was completely unreadable, adding to the sense of confusion.

The interpretations of these hidden details were varied and often extreme. Some critics pointed to religious texts, suggesting that the presence of these figures hinted at "anti-Christ" themes or the worship of the devil. One theory proposed that the hovering shape represented Baal, an ancient false deity often mentioned in scripture as a rival to God. This user suggested that the image implied Trump was "sent" by this dark figure to oppose the Pope.

Pop culture also played a role in the breakdown. Some observers compared the largest shadow to Sauron, the villainous Dark Lord from The Lord of the Rings. They argued the character’s known tactics for seizing power through deception mirrored their view of the image. However, not everyone was convinced of a deeper meaning. A group of supporters dismissed the theories, calling the picture "innocuous" and "hilarious". They argued it was just a typical AI-generated mistake and told critics to lighten up.

While some supporters called the post a harmless joke, many high-profile Christians labelled it "reprehensible" and "disgusting blasphemy".

A history of digital missteps

This is not the first time Trump’s social media presence has caused an uproar. In February, his account posted a racist video that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Though the White House initially dismissed the backlash as fake outrage, it eventually deleted the clip and blamed the post on a staffer's mistake.

Trump defended the recent "saviour" image during a press conference, insisting he was not trying to look like Jesus. He claimed the picture showed him as a doctor helping the Red Cross. He told reporters that he does make people better and blamed the media for the religious comparison. Despite his explanation, he did not apologise to the Pope, whom he had previously criticised on social media.