The US President has defended posting an AI-generated image making him appear like Jesus Christ.

It shows Donald Trump in a white robe holding a glowing light, and appearing to heal a sick man.

It was posted just hours after a post criticising Pope Leo and has sparked fierce backlash from both sides of the US political spectrum. 

Massey University's Peter Lineham says the post was clearly 'blasphemous' and even the hardest Christian nationalists in the US will see this as a step too far.

"Trump has no sense of appropriateness around him and he expects his acolytes to sing his praises...when he starts throwing derogatory remarks about the Pope and the like, he forgets at least some sort of boundary." 

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