President Trump discussed a controversial meme depicting him as a Christ-like healer with Bill Pulte, his director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, before posting it on Truth Social. The image, shared Sunday night, drew such a fierce backlash from Christians that Trump later deleted it—an extremely rare move for the president. According to two advisers who spoke to Trump about the image, Pulte brought it to his attention while they were together in South Florida over the weekend.
Pulte is a ubiquitous figure in Trump's orbit, both at the White House and at the president's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, where he is a member. The housing finance chief's involvement reveals the informal channels through which content reaches the president. His role in this incident highlights how figures outside traditional political or communications teams can influence presidential messaging.
One adviser described the initial reaction to the meme, saying, "Everyone thought it was a joke." However, the post's swift deletion following Christian backlash indicates the administration recognized its serious miscalculation. The exact method by which Pulte presented the image—whether he displayed it on his phone or sent it directly—remains unclear according to the sources.
The episode underscores the ongoing tension between Trump's penchant for provocative online engagement and the potential for significant political blowback. It also raises questions about the appropriateness of a housing finance regulator being involved in the president's personal social media activity. The incident may prompt scrutiny of Pulte's access and influence within the administration.
Both Pulte and the White House declined to comment on the matter. A third adviser friendly with Pulte disputed the account, saying he did not provide the meme to Trump.