President Donald Trump failed to persuade critics with his explanation for a post depicting himself as a Christlike figure healing a bedridden man.
The 79-year-old president has already deleted the post, which went up Sunday as he raged online against Pope Leo XIV, but he insisted Monday afternoon at the White House that the image was not intended as a depiction of himself as Jesus Christ.
"It wasn't a depiction," Trump said, standing beside a DoorDash driver outside the Oval Office. "I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross as a Red Cross worker, which we support, and only the fake news could come up with that one."
The post had triggered outrage from many of Trump's supporters, several of whom considered it "blasphemous."
Many social media users suggested his explanation raised more questions than it answered.
"His lying powers have sharply declined," noted writer Bruce Wilson.
"He's counting on people not knowing what a doctor looks like because they don't have healthcare," supposed menswear writer Derek Guy stated.
"My favorite part of going to the doctor is when he touches my forehead holding the glowing orb of light," added journalist Laura Bassett.
"I'm not entirely sure if someone that can't differentiate a doctor from Jesus Christ should be President," reckoned X user Eksara.
"Confusing Jesus Christ with the Red Cross is even more justification to invoke the 25th Amendment," agreed blogger Oliver Willis.
"Does this look like Trump as a doctor?" wondered Reuters reporter Michael Derby, showing the original image.
"Depicting Trump as a doctor is equally deranged," offered writer Elon Green.
"To quote Bill Murray in 'Tootsie': 'That is one NUTTY hospital,'" said CNBC's Carl Quintanilla.
"Ahhh yes, The Red Cross," noted BlueSky user Dee Phunk. "Famously known for their glowing hands and their ability to heal people by laying hands on them."
"Tell me you don’t know anything about doctors, the Red Cross, or Jesus without telling me," added historian Thomas Beck.