Texas Republican calls Trump 'almost the second coming' amid feud with Pope Leo and viral Jesus meme
Trump criticized Pope Leo over the Iran war and posted an AI-generated image that he later deleted.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Daily Mail, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The Daily Mail is an established news publisher with identifiable authors and reported quotes, but its tabloid style and less transparent editorial reputation warrant a moderate score. The article attributes key statements to named speakers and sources, though it offers limited independent verification.
- Source type — Established international news publisher, with a tabloid-oriented editorial style.
- Editorial standards — The report attributes remarks to speakers but provides limited evidence of independent verification.
- Author attribution — A named author is identified.
- Transparency — The article identifies the interview and quotes, but provides little detail about its reporting process.
The article gives specific, attributed quotes from Nehls, Trump and Pope Leo and enough context to explain the dispute. It relies mainly on public statements and provides limited independent context or broader competing perspectives.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The report presents statements from Nehls, Trump and Pope Leo, including Trump’s explanation of the image. It gives more space to the controversy and the pope’s criticism than to a broader defense of Trump’s position.
- Source diversity — The article quotes the principal figures in the dispute, though it does not include independent expert or public perspectives.
- Counterarguments presented — Trump’s explanation that he meant to depict himself as a doctor is included.
- Omitted context — The article offers limited context about the broader Iran conflict beyond the quoted statements and ceasefires.
- Loaded language — The article is mostly reportorial, though its framing emphasizes the provocative image and backlash.
The report is largely descriptive, but its headline and selection of details foreground Trump’s Jesus-like image, the backlash, and Nehls’s ardent support. The article also includes Trump’s explanation and quotes from the pope.
- Headline — The headline spotlights the provocative comparison to Jesus and the feud with Pope Leo.
- Framing — The story emphasizes Trump’s controversial image and the backlash it prompted.
- Language tone — Most descriptions are factual, with some vivid framing around the image and feud.
- Source selection — The article includes Nehls’s remarks, Trump’s explanation, and Pope Leo’s statements.
Republished
Republished from Daily Mail. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
454 stories · 54–55 · updated Oct 10, 2026
This is Daily Mail's own score, and this article is credited to Daily Mail. The host score in the Source Check is Daily Mail's.
Texas Republican Troy Nehls called Donald Trump “almost the second coming” and said Pope Leo XIV should stay out of politics. The remarks came amid Trump’s dispute with the pope over the Iran war and a deleted AI-generated image of Trump resembling Jesus.
In an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju on Capitol Hill, Representative Troy Nehls defended Trump’s image as having been taken out of context and praised the president as having done a “fantastic job.” Nehls also said Pope Leo XIV “needs to stay out of the political arena.”
The article recounts the dispute: Trump criticized the pope over his comments on the Iran war and posted an AI-generated image of himself appearing to heal the sick, which he later deleted. Trump said the image depicted him as a doctor. Pope Leo continued to criticize the war and called for peace.
Community verdict
19 VOTES
People in this story
SWIPE →President whose dispute with Pope Leo XIV forms the context for Nehls’s remarks
Texas representative who defended Trump and criticized Pope Leo XIV
Nehls's version of this story ↗
Former president mentioned in a description of Nehls’s past attire at a State of the Union address
Part of a bigger story
4 OUTLETSThe coverage agrees that Trump criticized Pope Leo and that the dispute prompted responses from Republican officials. Center outlets focus on Republican reactions, including calls for Trump to mend relations and disagreement over his remarks; some also highlight his deleted image and a Republican's comparison of him to Jesus.
- ARTICLES
- 5
- OUTLETS
- 4
- AVG CRED
- 76
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