Podcaster Presses JD Vance Over Trump God Meme: ‘Makes Me Upset as a Christian!’

Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump for posting the infamous picture of himself as Jesus Christ earlier this year, with Vance saying the president merely thought the image was “funny” and certainly did not mean to “mock” God or Christians.

Vance backed up the president during a Monday interview with podcaster and self-described Christian evangelist Bryce Crawford.

“I’m a Christian, I saw the photo — it made me upset,” Crawford said. “I’m not going to lie, it made me upset.”

He then asked Vance for his take on the picture, which depicted a robe-draped Trump reinvigorating a sick man with his healing hand while a nurse watched and an American Eagle soared above.

“I hear ya, and I know the president didn’t mean any offense,” Vance said. “Obviously, he loves Christians, and politically has done a lot of good for religious liberty, and certainly didn’t mean anything by it.”

He continued, “I’m biased because I see this from the inside. So it’s like, ‘Did Donald Trump mean to post a meme of himself as God?’ No.”

Trump posted the picture in April following a blistering social media rant against Pope Leo XIV. He deleted it the next morning amid heavy criticism, with Trump explaining, “I thought it was me as a doctor.” 

Crawford said he wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t know how he thought he was a doctor in the photo,” Crawford said. “He was [wearing] a white robe with a red sash on it, you know, and that makes me upset as a Christian.”

Vance told him he wanted to offer some “background” on the picture and how Trump posts. He said the president is far too busy to spend time surfing social media, but “people will bring him stuff” they think Trump will find amusing.

“Ssometimes he’ll like chuckle at it, and sometimes if he really thinks it’s funny, he’ll have somebody post it,” Vance said. “And that’s exactly what happened here.”

Vance added, “He did not mean to like, mock or mimic God. That’s just not who he is.”

Crawford seemed to take Vance’s answer well, and said he “did appreciate’ Trump taking the post down. The interview was heavily focused on faith and Christianity, as Vance has been out promoting his book about his conversion to Catholicism.

Watch above.

Jason Cohen contributed to this story. 

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