I won’t even show the picture President Trump posted on social media of himself as–or, rather, in the place of–Jesus Christ, but you can see it here.
Is there any way to put a positive construction on this? Whether or not you support his policies–especially if you do–aren’t you bothered by this?
Trump wants to put his signature on our currency, put his name on our buildings and airports, build grandiose monuments to himself in Washington, D.C. But doesn’t this go too far?
The original meme, designed by a Trump fan, showed soldiers hovering in the sky. But the version Trump, of his own volition, posted swapped out the central soldier for a strange horned figure with wings that looks demonic! (See the side-by-side comparison here.)
After outrage from his own supporters, Trump took down the picture from his Truth Social account. He admitted that he posted it, but said that he thought it was just about him being a doctor healing people, not Jesus. Do you buy that?
He’s not exactly wearing medical scrubs. And he’s laying hands on the sick person, and power is going out of him (cf. Mark 5:30). And a young woman is praying to him.
I’ve heard Christians excuse Trump’s behavior by saying that he is a president, not a pastor, as if God doesn’t hold us all to the same standard of His law. And according to the Bible, God does not approve even of secular, even pagan rulers who glorify themselves. Just ask Nebuchadnezzar: When he made Babylon great again “for the glory of my majesty” (Daniel 4:30), the Lord took away his kingdom and his reason, so that he lived as an animal until he repented. And just ask Herod: “An angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (Acts 12:23).
But it isn’t just Trump. I think there is a primal temptation to see political leaders as Messianic. Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, the Canaanite kings, and the Roman Emperors were thought by their subjects to be gods on earth. Just as the three Hebrews were thrown in the fiery furnace for not worshiping the image Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was thrown to the lions for refusing to pray to King Darius. The expectation among many was that the Jewish Messiah would be a political super-king.
Some Trump fans seem to see President Trump in those terms. He can do no wrong and he will save our country. They treat him as if he were inerrant. The influencer who used AI to generate this image apparently feels that way, and President Trump seems to think of himself in those terms.
Don’t believe me? Read this review of a book that came out in 2022, President Donald J. Trump, The Son of Man – THE CHRIST. The author, Helgard Müller–who is absolutely not joking, as is evident in his background–argues that the “Son of God” and the “Son of Man” are two separate persons. Jesus, the Son of God, stands in front of the throne of God, whereas Donald Trump, the Son of Man, sits at the right hand of God. Trump is the Christ, the earthly king prophesied in scripture.
Müller concludes:
President Donald J. Trump is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! The Son of Man who will be seen seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven! You have read that correctly! President Donald J. Trump is the Christ for this age! The Son of King David! Prophecies of Jesus and all the prophets point to President Donald J. Trump as the Son of Man, the Christ.
Also,
“Make President Donald J. Trump great so that you can have eternal life and not perish (John 3: 14-15)! For whosoever shall be ashamed of Jesus, the Son of God …..of him shall President Donald J. Trump, the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his father’s, and of the holy angels.”
If you think that the picture Trump posted doesn’t go too far, do you think that Helgard Müller goes too far?
Discuss.
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