DaysofPal- The Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, Bishop William Shomali, has sharply criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump for likening himself to Jesus Christ, calling the comparison “offensive and unacceptable.”
Shomali’s remarks on Monday came after Trump posted an image depicting himself in the likeness of Christ, as part of an ongoing attack on Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff’s condemnation of the joint U.S–Israeli war on Iran.
“The behavior we are seeing in the assault on Iran is incompatible with the principles of the Christian faith,” Shomali said.
“Jesus Christ is a model of humility, service, and self-sacrifice, not of a love of domination, power, and the marginalization of others,” Shomali added.
The bishop described Trump’s self-comparison to Christ as “boastfulness and an attempt to portray himself as a superhuman and great figure, which is impermissible and rejected.”
He added that the problem was not, in itself, the aspiration to imitate Christ, but rather “the way in which it was done,” which he called “an insult,” stressing that “no rational person can accept this approach.”
Shomali said Trump’s conduct contradicts the core of Christian values, especially the commandment to “love your neighbor,” noting that although Trump publicly identifies as a Christian, “he harms the fundamental principles of the faith.”
The bishop also underlined that the Vatican opposes the assault on Iran.
He explained that Pope Leo XIV has criticized the policies surrounding the campaign and that a majority of U.S. Catholic bishops do not support the war, viewing it as “not America’s war, but one it has been dragged into.”
These comments come amid mounting criticism of the Trump administration at home and abroad over its role in the offensive alongside Israel, with accusations that Washington’s stance is driven in part by pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has been wanted by the International Criminal Court since 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
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