President Donald Trump has once again ignited a political debate, this time by distancing himself from Riley Gaines, one of his prominent supporters in conservative circles.
In a recent CBS News interview, Trump addressed criticism from the former swimmer, candidly admitting, “I’m not a big fan of Riley, actually.”
The controversy unfolded after Trump shared an AI-created image on Truth Social over the weekend. The image, which many of his followers interpreted as portraying him in a Jesus-like manner, has stirred significant reactions.
Riley Gaines, known for her frequent appearances at Republican events, expressed disapproval of the post on social media the following Monday.
She took to X, voicing her confusion: “Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?”
Gaines continued, offering her perspective: “Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well. 2) God shall not be mocked.”
President Donald Trump has fired back at Riley Gaines amid a stunning fallout between the pair
Trump sparked widespread outrage by sharing the post on Truth Social on Sunday evening
In response, when speaking to senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell, the President dismissed the idea that he had listened to Gaines’ advice when he eventually decided to delete the controversial photo.
‘I didn’t listen to Riley Gaines,’ the President said during the phone interview. ‘I’m not a big fan of Riley, actually,’ he added, signaling a clear break from the activist.
It didn’t take long for Gaines to respond to Trump’s comments, returning to X to insist that she will ‘continue to support him and the America First agenda.’
On Monday night, she wrote: ‘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 missed the mark. It’s now deleted.
‘Amazing! 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. 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.’
The fallout marks a stunning shift in a relationship that saw Gaines become a figurehead for the administration’s stance on banning transgender athletes from women’s sports.
The President defended the image by claiming it was a misunderstanding, suggesting the artwork intended to portray him as a medical doctor rather than a religious deity.
‘I viewed that as a picture of me being a doctor in fixing – you had the Red Cross right there, you had, you know, medical people surrounding me,’ he explained to CBS.
He claimed he only removed the post because ‘people were confused,’ rather than out of any sense of regret or pressure from his conservative base.
Join the discussion
Is Trump¿s response justified or did the AI image cross a line in the first place?
Gaines insisted she will ‘continue to support’ Trump despite his outburst in the CBS interview
Gaines initially slammed Trump and said that he needs some humility in a brutal message
Gaines has been a long-standing spokesperson against trans athletes in women’s sports
Trump has spoken highly of Gaines in times gone by, making her fury all the more striking
The public spat is a major shift from February 2025, when the President hosted Gaines at the White House to witness the signing of an executive order regarding women’s sports.
At the time, he praised her as a ‘brave swimmer’ and thanked her for being at the ‘forefront’ of a movement he made a centerpiece of his 2024 campaign.
Gaines also spoke at Republican rallies in support of Trump when he was on the campaign trail before his November 2024 election triumph.
Last summer, Gaines even got into a social media feud with US Olympic great Simone Biles over trans athletes, before the American gymnast eventually apologized for attacking her on social media.
Last June, Biles said Gaines ‘looks like a man’ and should be ‘uplifting the trans community’ after Gaines had used her own platform to attack a teenage trans athlete in California.
Biles later said sorry for making their disagreement personal and Gaines soon said on X that she had accepted the apology.
Since Trump’s return to office, Gaines has continued to be a big supporter of his work – making her decision to speak out on Monday all the more striking.
