Wall Street Journal: “President Trump’s decision to post an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure sparked outrage on the religious right, triggering the most significant pushback from his Catholic and evangelical Christian supporters since he returned to the White House.”

Wired: “The USDA is not the only agency espousing overtly religious rhetoric: At the Department of Health and Human Services, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Labor, federal employees have been alarmed to watch Christianity’s creep into the government since President Donald Trump’s return to office.”

David Graham: “Donald Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV reveals that to him, religion is primarily about power, not morality.”

New York Times: “Pope Leo XIV, who was elected less than a year ago, is not Francis. For Mr. Trump, who is now in his second term, he presents a new foil at the Vatican with a markedly different standing among Catholics.”

“As the first American in the seat of St. Peter, he has a native fluency in American politics and culture, and his leadership is supported across broad swaths of the American church.”

Wired: “In a matter of days, MAGA media figures have gone from defending President Donald Trump as God’s chosen president to making the case that he is actually the antichrist.”

“The accusations reached a fever pitch on Sunday night, after Trump posted an AI-generated image depicting himself dressed in a white robe and red sash and placing a hand radiating golden light on a man in a hospital bed. The image, which Trump deleted from Truth Social after around 14 hours, seemed to invoke Jesus Christ, and outraged some supporters who likened Trump’s behavior to the antichrist—a figure in Christian theology who opposes Christ and whose appearance many believe could augur the end of time.”

Washington Post: “President Donald Trump’s posting of a rendering that appeared to depict him as Jesus drew rare criticism from the religious right, prompting calls for him to take down the post and allegations of blasphemy.”

“Shortly after posting a screed against Pope Leo XIV on Sunday night as he returned to Washington from Florida, Trump shared an AI-generated image in the style of a painting, depicting him in a long white robe. In one hand was an orb glowing with light; Trump’s other hand rested on the forehead of a man in what resembled a hospital bed — light beaming from the man’s head as Trump appeared to pray for his healing. Patriotic symbols including an eagle, fireworks and the Statue of Liberty filled the frame.”

President Trump triggered a rare wave of backlash from his most loyal supporters late last night after he shared an image portraying himself as Jesus Christ that infuriated religious followers who accused him of “blasphemy,” Mediaite reports.

“Pope Leo vowed to carry on speaking out against war after President Trump launched an extraordinary tirade against the pontiff on social media,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Said Leo: “I will not shy away from announcing the message of the gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation. The message of the gospel is very clear: Blessed are the peacemakers.”

He added: “I have no fear of the Trump administration.”

President Trump lashed out at Pope Leo, calling him “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”

“In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the ‘delusion of omnipotence’ that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace,” Politico reports.

“Pope Leo XIV appeared to take aim at religious language used by U.S. officials to justify the war in Iran, in the latest salvo between the pontiff and the Trump administration over the conflict,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Said Leo: “God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins sent USDA staff an Easter email that emphasized the story of Jesus being crucified and resurrected, a message that some Christians said alienated them for its overt religiosity, CNBC reports.

“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday likened the rescue on Easter Sunday of a missing American airman shot down over Iran to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ,” the New York Times reports.

“Minutes later, speaking at the same news conference describing the military operation, President Trump asserted that God supports the Israeli-U.S. war against Iran, which has killed thousands, including many civilians.”

Said Trump: “Because God is good, and God wants to see people taken care of.”

Washington Post: Trump says God supports U.S. cause in Iran war as he threatens wider bombing.

CNN: “Far from shying away from the idea that there is a religious aspect to the US-Israeli war on Iran, US government leaders are leaning into it, invoking God and promising fire and brimstone for Iran’s civil society if its leaders do not buckle to US demands.”

President Trump and other U.S. officials cast the rescue of a U.S. airman in Iran ​as an “Easter miracle” on Sunday, framing the operation in religious terms that portrayed the war as a just cause and divinely ‌blessed, Reuters reports.