The truth about the satanic goat creature in Trump’s AI Jesus image

Donald Trump’s “now-deleted “Jesus” photo, in which he is depicted as a Christ-like figure glowing with divine light as he lays a healing hand on a sick man's head, has been widely condemned as blasphemous, terrifying (if he considers himself the one true saviour) – and utterly inappropriate. Trump posted the image to his Truth Social account on Monday after criticising Pope Leo XIV, who has been vocal in his condemnation of the US and Israeli military operation in Iran, for being “weak on crime”. Outrage quickly followed, with figures across the political spectrum – from far-right Christians to liberal lawmakers – expressing their offence to the comparison. Former Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene decried the post and said she was “praying against it” while Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders described it as “deranged” and ”ecomaniacal behaviour”.But as the days of controversy have tumbled by, people have been looking a little closer at what they say is a demonic detail – a horned, winged creature hovering above Trump in the celestial skies. X users have zoomed in on a “disturbing” shadowy creature, which they say resembles a demon “running away”.One person asked: “What the heck is that creature in the middle?” Another said, “I had Grok enhance it, looks like a demon walking away.” Another social media user speculated: “That’s Sauron the Dark Lord,” in reference to the antagonist from The Lord of the Rings.After the image sparked fury, Trump has desperately tried to brush over any idea that he was casting himself as a modern-day Jesus, telling reporters he thought it was “me as a doctor”.Trump has denied that the image he posted represents him as Jesus, but conspiracy theorists are transfixed by the image floating over him (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)“It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better,” he told reporters after the image had been taken down. He later claimed that he deleted the photo because he “didn't want to have anybody be confused. People were confused”.He has since shared an AI-generated image of Jesus hugging him.The image, originally posted on X by a Trump supporter, was reshared by the president on his Truth Social platform Wednesday with the message: “The Radical Left Lunatics might not like this, but I think it is quite nice!!! President DJT.”The trouble is, we are still confused – and is it surprising? The first image Trump shared of himself as a Jesus-type figure was not even the original. The image actually initially appeared in early February, posted by Maga supporter and influencer Nick Adams. Although Trump’s is almost an exact copy, the original had only American soldiers hovering like angels – which is why there is so much bluster over the mysterious horned creature, which appeared in the second version.While some online have commented that it might be a representation of Baphomet, a satanic goat-headed figure and a modern symbol of occultism and satanism, others are giving a more nuanced reading.‘Saint Ignatius Being Received into Heaven’ by Andrea Pozzo shares the same golden colour hues as Trump’s image and is also packed with activity (Church Sant'Ignazio)Liz James, Professor of History of Art at Sussex University, in the UK, who describes the image as looking more like a “tacky” and “mass-produced Catholic prayer card” or reminiscent of a “war poster” depicting heroes from battle, rather than a “work of art”, gives a more nuanced view of the “artwork” and the “creature”.Although the idea of heavens opening is very common in Catholic art, she says: “In Trump’s image, the figure with ‘horns’ where you might usually expect to be angels in other religious art, is in fact, more likely to represent the spikes on the Statue of Liberty’s crown, which is also featured in the righthand side of the image. “She goes on to explain that the seven spikes (or rays) on the Statue of Liberty’s crown represent the seven continents and seven seas of the world, symbolising the light of freedom shining globally.“It’s easy to read into these sorts of images and see Satan in anything,” she tells me. “The ‘wings’ at the back of the figure,” she adds, “are either military standard flags or a winged superhero figure like Thor [who wears a winged helmet in Marvel Comics].” She adds that to make assumptions it’s Baphomet, “is wishful thinking”. “It’s AI-slop of its worst kind – what is most interesting about it is what instructions were given to ChatGPT to produce it?” Giotto’s famous work, ‘The Last Judgement’ features a horned goat creature known to represent Satan (Getty/iStock)Another prominent art historian working in the US, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees. “I’d say these figures look like a group of superheroes and are more in the Hollywood backing band mode in support of JCT (Jesus Christ Trump) than in art history territory,” he tells me.“The eagles are very ‘US’.” There are a few horned Satans in European art, he adds, such as in Giotto’s famous The Last Judgement in Padua, northern Italy – which may have similar-looking “horned goat creatures” – but, he adds, “I don’t think art is upfront in any of this imagery or thinking, if you can call it that.”However, the paranoia over the image has been escalating ever since Trump posted and deleted the image. Many Christians are reading it as though Trump is possessed by the “antichrist”, and others are mining the AI-slop for a deeper meaning than was ever intended.The figure with horns, where you might usually expect to see angels in other religious art, is more likely to represent the spikes on the Statue of Liberty's crownProfessor of History of Art at Sussex UniversityThe fact that the president promised to wipe out Iranian civilisation, “never to be brought back again”, unless a deal was reached, only adds to the confusion, with some seeing it as confirmation that Trump has been possessed by some kind of demon.Other conspiracy theorists allege something different – an institutional cover-up of Jeffrey Epstein as a blockbuster lie hiding the fact that the world is controlled by a global elite, including politicians, celebrities, and officials, who are Satan-worshipping paedophiles. Even if that is an extreme out-there view more associated with the QAnon-filled corners of the internet, approximately 11 per cent of Maga-identifying voters believe the president is part of a cover-up, according to a poll conducted by the Economist/YouGov in February – and the “horned, winged creature” won’t help build trust in Trump.A different kind of god: The horned creature is reminiscent of Thor, or another superhero figure (Disney)Others have said the sick man Trump is tending to in the image is Epstein himself. The Iranian Embassy in South Africa shared the same image on X earlier this week and wrote: “Is it Epstein being cared for in the Healing Ministry of Trump?” Interestingly, this wouldn’t be the first time Trump has used the imagery of goats. A golden-horned goat statue covered in fake $100 bills featuring Trump's face with the words “In Trump we trust” was reportedly displayed at Trump's private Mar-a-Lago club in Florida last year to fundraise for a project known as Project G.O.A.T, which stands for Global Offensive Against Trafficking.It prompted social media reactions referencing the biblical “golden calf” story, found in Exodus 32, which warns against worshipping idols when the Israelites craft a golden idol to worship while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, much to God’s fury. The seven spikes (or rays) on the Statue of Liberty's crown represent the seven continents and seven seas of the world, symbolizing the light of freedom shining globally (Getty/iStock)Of course, the term GOAT is also a well-used abbreviation of “greatest of all time” – and Trump referred to himself in a Truth Social post last month as the “G.O.A.T.” of American presidents.Of course, the truth is, the internet, as usual, is reading far too much into a joke image that has seriously backfired on Trump. There is way too much overthinking going on about something Trump did without much critical thinking at all. My daughter, Lola, 10, makes amazing ChatGPT posters all the time and could easily make a Trump religious image like this in seconds, no real skill needed. It’s unlikely the person who first created the image put much energy into it, or that Trump has since instructed AI to add in a “horned goat” figure. Trump might have plenty of not-to-like qualities – such as insensitivity, narcissism and a messiah complex, but being the antichrist isn’t one of them. Probably.