Riley Gaines Stands by Trump Amid AI-Generated Jesus Meme Fallout
MAGA influencer Riley Gaines has publicly defended President Donald Trump, despite his sharp criticism of her following the controversy over an AI-generated meme he posted depicting himself as Jesus Christ. The image, shared on Truth Social, sparked immediate backlash from Christian conservatives who accused Trump of blasphemy, leading him to delete it and claim it was meant to show him "as a doctor" healing the sick.
Gaines' Initial Criticism and Trump's Dismissive Response
Gaines was among those who expressed dismay at the meme, posting on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday: "Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked."
In a subsequent phone interview with CBS News correspondent Norah O'Donnell, Trump was asked if Gaines' objections influenced his decision to remove the post. The president, who has relied on Gaines as a prominent voice in his administration's efforts to ban transgender athletes from women's sports, replied bluntly: "I didn’t listen to Riley Gaines. I’m not a big fan of Riley, actually."
Gaines' Gracious Defense and Continued Support
Despite the personal rebuke, Gaines responded with surprising generosity in a follow-up post. She wrote: "I love the president and I’m so grateful he’s in the Oval Office. Of course, I’ll continue to support him and the America First agenda. At the end of the day, I do nothing for the approval of man. Our purpose on this earth is to glorify Him in all we do. The Truth Social post missed the mark. It’s now deleted. Amazing!"
She added: "We’re imperfect people. I know I am. I don’t get my feelings hurt easy and I know with the president it’s really not personal. I want to spend eternity in a real place called Heaven. I’d love for Trump to be there too. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I’ll keep doing my part by speaking truth & doing my best to lead others to Christ. (and no, I won't be selling merch with his insults on them hahaha)."
Broader Context of Trump's Feuds and Vance's Intervention
Trump's attack on Gaines is part of a broader pattern of rebuking MAGA critics. Last week, he targeted figures like Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones over their objections to the Iran war, labeling them "losers." This latest incident follows his controversial criticism of Pope Leo XIV, whom he called "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," risking offense to Catholic supporters.
Vice President JD Vance, a recent convert to Catholicism, attempted to defuse the situation by assuring Fox host Bret Baier that Trump's meme was "a joke." He stated: "And, of course, he took it down because he recognized that a lot of people weren’t understanding his humor in that case. I think the president of the United States likes to mix it up on social media." Vance also advised the Vatican to focus on morality and let Trump handle policy.
During his CBS interview, Trump reiterated his hostility toward the Pope, calling him "weak on the issues." When pressed on why he removed the Jesus meme, a rare concession, Trump explained: "Normally I don’t like doing that, but I didn’t want to have anybody be confused. People were confused."
