Joe Rogan appeared to deliver pointed criticism at President Donald Trump this week during a discussion about the latter's controversial social media post, which seemed to portray Trump as Jesus Christ. The conversation unfolded on Tuesday's edition of 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' where Rogan was joined by former Navy SEAL Andy Stumpf, and the AI-generated artwork became a focal point roughly midway through the podcast.
Podcast Banter Over Trump's Meme
The pair had been exploring potential solutions for perceived flaws in the US healthcare system when Rogan humorously suggested an 'AI God' as a remedy. "AI god has to come alive. Take over the system," Rogan quipped. Stumpf responded with sarcastic clarification, prompting Rogan to elaborate by referencing the viral image. "AI God - the one that created that Jesus meme that Trump just posted," the host riffed.
Stumpf mockingly retorted, "Joe, I told you, he explained it, he was a doctor," alluding to Trump's excuse that the image depicted him as a healer. This exchange caused Rogan, who identifies as a centrist, to burst into laughter off-screen, and he decided to lean into the joke. "That's what they called him, that's what AI God calls Jesus - Jesus is a doctor," Rogan joked, further ridiculing the president's claim.
Details of the Controversial Post
The AI-generated image showed a cloaked figure with Trump's likeness healing another man in front of fervent American imagery, with magical orbs of light emanating from his hands. The 'healer' was also shrouded in a divine light, adding to the religious overtones. The post was published overnight and deleted on Monday morning after sparking widespread outrage.
When questioned about the post, Trump took responsibility at a White House event meant to promote his 'no tax on tips' initiative ahead of Tax Day. "I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with the Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support," Trump told reporters. He blamed 'fake news' for the ensuing backlash, dismissing critics who interpreted the image as depicting him as Jesus.
Broader Political Context
This incident occurred as Trump continued a criticism campaign against Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Catholic Church. Trump had called the pontiff 'weak' on Sunday after the pope spoke out against the war in Iran. Pope Leo, 70, responded during his trip to Africa on Monday, stating he had 'no fear of the Trump administration' and would continue advocating for peace and dialogue.
Meanwhile, Rogan has expressed growing frustrations with Trump over several months. Despite endorsing the Republican at the eleventh hour in November 2024, Rogan initially hesitated due to Trump's immigration policies and has since soured over the president's use of the US military. In December, Rogan told comedian Shane Gillis that any type of war 'would be a terrible idea,' just before the US's invasion of Venezuela. Last month, he called Trump's military aspirations in Iran 'insane' following initial strikes in the region on February 28, asserting that Trump supporters should 'feel betrayed' by those actions, contrasting with Trump's 'America First' foreign policy campaign promises.
The podcast segment concluded with Rogan and Stumpf moving on from the topic after more than a day of public outrage over the post, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the media personality and the president.
