President Donald Trump reportedly consulted with one of his administration’s most polarizing figures before making a Truth Social post that would force a rare retreat. Sources suggest a controversial federal director played a quiet role in bringing a provocative religious image to the president’s attention, days before backlash prompted Trump to pull it down.
Donald Trump discussed Jesus photo with Bill Pulte, sources suggest
President Donald Trump discussed a Christ-like meme of himself with Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte before posting it on Truth Social, according to sources who spoke to Axios. Trump later removed the image following fierce backlash from Christians.
Pulte is a member of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump was in South Florida over the weekend, and the two spent time together, according to two advisers who spoke to the president about the image. Pulte brought the image to Trump’s attention at some point during the visit.
“Everyone thought it was a joke,” one of the advisers said. A third adviser friendly with Pulte said he did not provide the meme to the president. Pulte declined to comment, as did the White House.
Trump’s Sunday post came on Easter Sunday for Eastern Orthodox Christians. The previous Sunday, on Easter for Catholic and Protestant Christians, Trump had posted a vulgarity-laced threat to destroy Iran’s infrastructure, ending with “Praise be to Allah.” Hours before sharing the meme, Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV over the pope’s criticism of war.
Trump called the pontiff “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” He also accused the U.S.-born pope of “catering to the Radical Left.” The posts came as the U.S. has been trying to negotiate an end to the war in Iran.
Pulte, 37, previously fired dozens of Fannie Mae employees whom he accused of fraud without evidence. A judge ruled last week that Pulte was legally immune from the resulting lawsuit. The Financial Times called Pulte an “agent of chaos” in January over his role pushing for a Justice Department criminal probe of Fed chair Jerome Powell. Pulte denied involvement in the probe.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
