Aims at further stoking a flame over a since-deleted AI image shared by the president, found Riley Gaines instead doubling down on her faith.
Monday at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Donald Trump endeavored to move past his posting of a controversial image considered by many to be a blasphemous depiction of himself in the place of Jesus Christ.
While he deleted it and claimed he thought the picture was him as a doctor, Trump’s position on not being a “big fan of Riley” after CBS News raised her name specifically found Gaines reminding, “I do nothing for the approval of man.”
“I love the President and I’m so grateful he’s in the Oval Office. Of course, I’ll continue to support him and the America First agenda. At the end of the day, I do nothing for the approval of man,” the former NCAA swimmer turned commentator said. “Our purpose on this earth is to glorify Him in all we do. The truth social post missed the mark. It’s now deleted. Amazing!”
I love the President and I’m so grateful he’s in the Oval Office. Of course, I’ll continue to support him and the America First agenda.
At the end of the day, I do nothing for the approval of man. Our purpose on this earth is to glorify Him in all we do. The truth social post…
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 14, 2026
“We’re imperfect people. I know I am. I don’t get my feelings hurt easy and I know with the President it’s really not personal. I want to spend eternity in a real place called Heaven. I’d love for Trump to be there too,” Gaines continued. “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I’ll keep doing my part by speaking truth & doing my best to lead others to Christ. (and no, I won’t be selling merch with this insults on them hahaha).”
Those sentiments were reiterated in a video posted to TikTok where she rehashed how her early morning reaction to Trump’s post had led to CBS News reporting, “When asked if he took the post down because of Gaines’ and others’ criticism, President Trump said no. ‘I didn’t listen to Riley Gaines. I’m not a big fan of Riley, actually.'”
@rileygaines Faith > politics #CapCut #faith #prayer #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – rileygaines
As had been reported, the defender of women’s sports from gender ideology was among many supporters of the president who set aside their favor to remind that there are some things that are indefensible and deserving of asking forgiveness — allegedly blaspheming God being chief among them.
In her post, Gaines had stated, “Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked.”
For his part, the president had maintained when asked about the image that it wasn’t meant to portray him as Jesus Christ. “I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with the Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support. Only the fake news could come up with that one.”
“I just heard about it, and I said, ‘How did they come up with that?’ It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better,” added Trump.
.@POTUS: “I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support… It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better.” pic.twitter.com/90wyeq1uaa
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 13, 2026
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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