Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) sparked controversy after saying President Donald Trump is “almost the second coming” while defending him during questions about the president’s viral Jesus-themed social media post.
Nehls commented Thursday during an interview with CNN reporter Manu Raju on Capitol Hill. He was asked about Trump’s recently deleted AI-generated image that appeared to depict the president in robes healing people, imagery many critics said resembled Jesus Christ.
“Come on, I think that’s all been taken out of context,” Nehls said when asked about the backlash. When pressed further, he escalated his praise of Trump.
“I do. I believe that Donald Trump is better than sliced bread. I think he’s almost the second coming in my humble opinion. I think he’s done a fantastic job.”
The remarks quickly drew national attention because they came during an already heated dispute between Trump and Pope Leo XIV.
The pope criticized Trump last week after the president warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran failed to meet U.S. demands tied to the Strait of Hormuz.
Leo called threats against the Iranian people “truly unacceptable” and urged citizens to pressure leaders to pursue peace. He also condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure as violations of international law.
Trump responded days later with a Truth Social post accusing the pope of being “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.”
He added, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected… to do.”
Shortly after that statement, Trump posted the AI image that triggered fresh backlash from Catholics, religious conservatives, and critics who said it was disrespectful.
Trump later denied the image was meant to portray him as Jesus.
“It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better,” Trump said, blaming the media for framing it differently.
Nehls also joined the criticism of the pope, saying Leo “needs to stay out of the political arena.”
That statement added another layer to the growing clash between some Republican allies of Trump and the Vatican, according to the Daily Mail.
Pope Leo has refused to retreat from his anti-war stance.
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war,” he told reporters earlier this week, saying he had “no fear” of Trump.
He followed that with a pointed social media message warning against those who “manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain.”
Nehls has long been one of Trump’s most loyal congressional allies. He previously wore a shirt featuring Trump’s Georgia mugshot during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech.
Now his latest praise has placed him at the center of another Trump-era controversy.
What began as a defense of the president has turned into a national debate over religion, politics, and how far political loyalty can go.
