A lot of… interesting imagery has emerged from the MAGA corners of social media since Donald Trump began his second term. Some of it’s disturbing, like “ASMR” videos using the sounds of handcuffed and shackled prisoners. Some of it’s gross and juvenile, like Trump dropping poop on peaceful protesters. And some of it’s disrespectful, like Trump dressed up as the pope.
But then there’s imagery that’s just straight up blasphemous and idolatrous.
In a recent X post claiming that “Hunger is at all time LOW in Donald Trump’s America!,” Trump sycophant Nick Adams shared an AI-generated image of the president holding a basket of five loaves and two fish whilst surrounded by a smiling and adoring Middle Eastern crowd. Now, if you know your New Testament, then you know Adams was referencing Matthew 14:13 – 21, which recounts Jesus miraculously feeding the five thousand — only with Donald Trump taking over for Jesus.
Not surprisingly, Adams’ claim about hunger in America is dubious at best. (Although Trump’s USDA is no longer gathering food security data, a recent Purdue University report indicated that 14% of American households suffer from food insecurity, an increase from 12.5% in 2024.) Set that aside for a moment, though. Instead, try to imagine the gall necessary to twist one of Jesus’s miracles for such nakedly political purposes. Replacing Jesus with any politician would be offensive, but there’s something doubly offensive about replacing Jesus with a politician who revels in cruelty, insults, and deception, especially given that Matthew’s story highlights Jesus’s compassion.
Then again, when I called Nick Adams a “sycophant,” I wasn’t being hyperbolic. Whether he’s praising Trump’s “godly leadership,” claiming that Trump is “leading a new great awakening in America,” directly comparing Trump to Jesus, or expressing his complete and total trust in Trump, Adams — a self-proclaimed “alpha male” who bills himself as “Trump’s favorite author” — has never found a pro-Trump sentiment that’s too unctuous or degrading for him to express. And apparently, that’s worked out quite nicely for him; this past July, Trump nominated Adams to serve as the ambassador to Malaysia, an announcement not without controversy.
Perhaps Adams’ Trump-as-Christ post was intended to further ingratiate himself to the ego-obsessed president and help ensure his appointment to Malaysia. Or perhaps it’s yet another example of Adams’ proclivity for trolling and “own the libs” shitposting, as evidenced by his unabashed love for Hooters. In any case, it’s blasphemous and idolatrous to cast politicians in place of Christ Himself, as Adams has done so blithely here. And it’s further evidence that Trump’s own arrogance and lack of shame has thoroughly infected his most ardent and obsequious followers.