Franklin Graham Says Trump Would Not ‘Knowingly Depict Himself as Jesus Christ’

Some Christian leaders later said they believed the president’s explanation but that he should have used more caution. At the same time, memes mocking the explanation have abounded.

Here’s a picture of my doctor making house calls pic.twitter.com/IUY6xuix4q

— Jamie Bonkiewicz (@JamieBonkiewicz) April 13, 2026

Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, is the president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham has urged President Donald Trump not to swear and has shared the gospel with the president while remaining a consistent and outspoken supporter of Trump. Graham delivered prayers at both of Trump’s inaugurations and has at times framed Trump’s leadership in providential terms.

RELATED: Franklin Graham Compares Trump to Moses, Vance to Aaron in Inauguration Prayer 

A number of people called on Graham this week not to remain silent about the president’s AI-generated image. “Has anyone heard from @Franklin_Graham on Trump’s blasphememe?” asked progressive Christian author John Pavlovitz Monday. “What do you have to say for yourself, Rev?”

“Hey @Franklin_Graham and @robertjeffress and @Paula_White etc: How does this sit with ya?” said former Congressman Adam Kinzinger on Sunday in a post of Trump’s image. Kinzinger was one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

In his post addressing the controversy over Trump’s image, Graham said, “When I looked at the illustration, I didn’t jump to the same conclusion as some. There were no spiritual references—no halo, there were no crosses, no angels.” 

“It was a flag, soldiers, a nurse, fighter planes, eagles, the Statue of Liberty, and I think this is a lot to do about nothing,” he said. “There is so much ill-intended speculation. I think [Trump’s] enemies are always foaming at the mouth at any possible opportunity to make him look bad.”

Graham referenced a subsequent AI image created by someone else that Trump later posted showing him standing in the embrace of Jesus with an American flag in the background.

“And the illustration from someone else he reposted on Truth Social yesterday, I must say that I like the fact that this is a picture of Jesus whispering in his ear, or at least His hand on his shoulder, guiding him,” said Graham. “We all need that—we all need to be listening to Jesus.”

“Again, I think there is an attempt to spin this into something that it isn’t,” Graham said. “Remember, President Trump didn’t draw this, he didn’t create it, he reposted it on his social media because he thought it was nice—I would have to agree.”