Donald Trump is preparing to deliver a Bible reading on television amidst his ongoing disagreement with Pope Leo XIV, a prominent critic of US and Israeli actions towards Iran.
The US president is scheduled to recite verses 11-22 from Chapter 7 of the Second Book of Chronicles at 6pm EST (11pm BST) on Tuesday as part of ‘America Reads the Bible’, an initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. This event aims to honor the nation’s founding principles spiritually and encourage a reconnection with the enduring truths that guide us today.
Tensions have been escalating between Trump and Pope Leo, with Senator John Kennedy recently condemning what he sees as the president’s aggressive stance against the Pope. Leo criticized Trump’s threats to obliterate Iranian civilization on April 7, labeling them as unacceptable and in violation of international law. He urged people worldwide to urge their political leaders to halt the Middle East conflict.
In a controversial move on April 12, Trump drew criticism from various political factions, including some of his supporters, after posting and then deleting an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure healing a sick individual in a hospital bed. Shortly before sharing the image, Trump launched a scathing attack on the Pope via Truth Social, portraying him as ineffective on crime and foreign policy.
Trump asserted that the Pope was elected due to his American background, insinuating that it was a strategic move to counter him as President. The following day, Pope Leo affirmed his lack of fear towards the Trump administration and his commitment to boldly espousing the Gospel’s message.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the perceived disrespect towards Jesus while expressing solidarity with the Pope. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a Catholic and close ally of Trump, criticized the president’s comments about the Pope, emphasizing the Pope’s role in advocating for peace and condemning warfare.
Trump later shared another AI-generated religious-themed image of himself on April 15, hinting at divine intervention with a caption suggesting that “God might be playing his Trump card.” The image featured a Jesus-like figure embracing Trump, shared in a post by an account named “Irish for Trump” (@Dkelly4congress).
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