Today in Politics, Bulletin 348. 4/13/26
… Trump posted a bizarre meme on Truth Social in the middle of the night depicting himself as Jesus laying hands on a sick man to heal him as others gaze at him reverently. It got tremendous backlash across multiple social media platforms over the next several hours before Trump finally deleted it. Even his most hardcore cultists on Truth Social posted over 8,000 angry replies. … The WH had reporters outside the Oval Office this afternoon since the messaging theme of the day was supposed to be about touting No Tax on Tips two days before the tax filing deadline. Instead, the master strategist and 4-D chess player had everyone talking about Dr. Jesus H. Trump, Red Cross doctor. … Reporter: “Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ? Trump: It wasn't a depiction. 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.” … Conservative talk radio host Erick Erickson: “Pretty much settles the issue of whether the President is a believer or not by him seeing that picture and thinking it was him as a Red Cross worker.”
… The reaction even from his most ardent supporters was not good:
… Senate Majority Leader John Thune was asked about it today by reporter Eric Garcia: “I don’t have any observation on that. My observation is it’s been taken down.” … Tim Alberta with The Atlantic: “My conviction remains: God did not ordain Trump to rescue the American church, or revive the American church, or redeem the American church. God ordained Trump to test the American church. And the American church has failed.” … The Trump Jesus post came hours after he attacked Pope Leo XIV in another post: “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about “fear” of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart. I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History. Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!” … The Pope was asked about Trump’s post by reporters on his flight to Africa: “I have no fear of the Trump admin or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do. We are not politicians. We don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.” … “The Gospel is very clear, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’. To put my message on the same plane as what the President is attempting to do here is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is.” … Trump was asked about the post today: Q - “Why did you attack Pope Leo? Trump: I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. We don’t like a pope who says it’s ok to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope that says crime is ok. I am not a fan of Pope Leo.” … Hillary Clinton was asked about Trump’s posts on MS NOW: “I read those like I think I hope the majority of Americans - both shaking my head, and really just feeling sick at heart that we have a president who is such a disgrace.” … Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ): “As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter. Trump is flailing. His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children. He will attack anyone or anything to try to protect himself, even the Church that millions of Americans find faith and comfort in every day.” … Iran’s parliament speaker MB Ghalibaf: “Honoring Pope Leo’s fearless stand! ‘I have no fear’ echoes as he condemns the war crimes of Israel and the US. This slogan lights the path for all who refuse to stay silent on the killing of innocents. The Pope’s leadership inspires millions – thank you for this light!” … Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops: “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.” … Bishop Robert Barron: “The statements made by Trump on Truth Social regarding the Pope were entirely inappropriate and disrespectful. They don’t contribute at all to a constructive conversation. It is the Pope’s prerogative to articulate Catholic doctrine and the principles that govern the moral life. In regard to the concrete application of those principles, people of good will can and do disagree. I think the President owes the Pope an apology.” … Trump was asked about Bishop Barron’s call for him to apologize: “No. There’s nothing to apologize for. He’s wrong.” … Jesuit Priest Sam Sawyer: “It’s unbelievable that any president would speak this way against the Pope, that any president would try to pick a fight with the entire Catholic Church. Pope Leo is not afraid. He’s focused on the values of the gospel. He’s not entering into the back and forth of personal insults and attacks.” … Sawyer: “Trump wants to be the center of attention all the time. Pope Leo is pulling our attention away from the president and putting our attention back on God, on Jesus, on the call to peace and the message of the Gospel. Trump seems to have trouble with that.” … Vatican historian Massimo Faggioli: “Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly.” … After losing the support of his closest friend Sen. Ruben Gallego and reports of a new accuser coming forward tomorrow, Rep. Eric Swalwell announced he was resigning from Congress. He said he was aware that an expulsion vote was going to be scheduled immediately and he did not want to go through that when his constituents needed representation in Congress, while stating he felt it was unfair that he was going to be expelled so quickly without the ability to prove his innocence. … NYT: “Trump’s announcement over the weekend of a complete US blockade of Iranian ports was another surprise shift in his zigzagging efforts to bring Iran to heel and reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz to international shipping. The US Navy will block access to Iran’s ports and intercept any ships that pay Iran for safe passage, Trump said in a post on social media.” … Trump also told Fox that other militaries will join the effort: “We think that numerous countries are going to be helping us with this also.” But there is still no sign of any volunteers. Among the governments that responded to Trump’s announced blockade, most called for a return to negotiations. … Later in the day, Trump was asked for an update on all the countries supposedly coming to help us: Q - “Are there other countries who are willing to help? Trump: Yeah, they are coming up. We have many other countries.” … Reuters: “The US’ NATO allies said on Monday they would not get involved in Trump’s plan to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, further ratcheting up tensions within the increasingly fragile alliance.” … Hillary Clinton: "I think our allies believe we've lost our minds because they wake up in the morning like we do and see the rants from the president making no sense half the time." … Trump posted: “Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat. Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal.” … CNN’s Pentagon reporter Haley Britzky: “As we and others have reported, the IRGCs small boats and unmanned surface vessels are largely those responsible for harassing shipping in the Strait. Sources told us the IRGC Navy retains roughly half of its capabilities and that there are ‘hundreds if not thousands’ of small boats and USVs left.” It seems like there is never a day off from the madness of this regime. I go to bed at 10 PM and every morning I wake up to new insanity since Trump likes to post a daily toxic soup of malignant narcissism after midnight these days. This morning was a bit odder than most waking up to Dr. Jesus H. Trump the Red Cross doctor on my phone. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. On the blockade, I am watching China. Whether China decides to force the issue and how Trump has the US Navy respond if they do will decide whether this will escalate out of control or not. Thanks to everyone who reads, shares and subscribes to my work and the work of all the other talented Meidas contributors. If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin recapping the weekend, you can find it here. … China’s Minister of Defense Admiral Dong Jun, shortly before the blockade went into effect: “We are committed to peace and stability in the world. We are monitoring the situation in the Middle East. Our ships are moving in and out of the waters of Strait of Hormuz. We have trade and energy agreements with Iran. We will respect and honor them and expect others to not meddle in our affairs. Iran controls the Strait of ... |
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