Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg on Saturday accused President Donald Trump of insulting Americans’ faith and their smarts with a bizarre AI-generated image he posted on Truth Social, and then poorly explained it.
Speaking at a public event on April 18, as captured in viral social media clips, the former transportation secretary zeroed in on the now-deleted April 12 Truth Social post.
In the photo the president shared, there was Trump, decked out in a white robe and red sash, laying a glowing hand on a sick man’s forehead in bed.
There were also light beams shooting from his palm, which, according to many believers, screamed classic Jesus healing the sick.
Trump posted the photo when he was in the middle of a public spat with Pope Leo XIV, blasting him as soft on crime and foreign policy.
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Criticism exploded within hours as Evangelicals and conservatives called it straight-up blasphemous. Trump yanked it down after about 14 hours.
The next day, April 13, he faced the press outside the Oval Office and confirmed that he was the one who posted the photo.
“I posted it myself,” he said. “It’s me as a doctor, making people better, like with the Red Cross, which we have supported for a very long time.” He then waved off the Jesus talk as “fake news” spin.
Buttigieg pounced on Trump, noting that his action was a mockery of the Christian faith.
“When the president mocks your faith by posing as the risen Lord healing the sick, you’ve got to call it out,” he said in his speech.
“And then he insults your intelligence by claiming he thought it was just him as a doctor. Newsflash: he’s not a doctor,” Buttigieg added.
The ex-Biden cabinet member, now barnstorming the country ahead of a possible 2028 White House bid, described it as Trump pushing faith and facts to the breaking point.
Backlash hit from all sides after Trump shared the picture.
Some Truth Social Trump fans squirmed at the religious vibes as they called out their MAGA leader.
However, some Americans defended the president. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, downplayed the post as a joke and urged Americans to move on from it.
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Vance also defended Trump after he clashed with Pope Leo, noting that the pope should stick to preaching the gospel and leave the president to lead the country.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the President and advised him to delete the photo on the grounds that Americans perceived it differently.
Democrats and some religious leaders argued the image crossed a line by blending political power with sacred Christian symbols, especially during the Easter season for many believers.
Buttigieg’s remarks were part of a longer speech on faith, politics, and public trust. He argued that leaders should respect both religious beliefs and basic facts.
So far, neither the White House nor Trump has commented further on Buttigieg’s criticism.
