“I love the President”: Riley Gaines changes tone after Donald Trump, says he is not a fan during AI image controversy debate

Riley Gaines changed her tone within hours after criticizing Donald Trump over a controversial AI image. The former swimmer first questioned the post and called for humility. But later the same day, she made it clear she still supports him. The sudden shift came after Trump publicly said he was “not a big fan” of her during an interview with CBS News.

Riley Gaines questions Donald Trump AI post, then quickly shows support again

The situation began when Donald Trump shared an AI-made image on Truth Social. Many people online felt the image showed him in a way similar to Jesus. That did not sit well with Riley Gaines. She posted on X, saying: “Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?”She did not stop there. She added: “Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well. 2) God shall not be mocked.”Her words spread fast online, especially because she has been a strong supporter of Trump in the past. But just hours later, she returned with a very different message.Gaines 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.”She also explained her beliefs, saying: “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.”

Donald Trump responds to Riley Gaines criticism and explains AI image confusion

Donald Trump addressed the issue during a phone interview with CBS News reporter Norah O’Donnell. He made it clear he did not act because of Gaines’ comments.“I didn’t listen to Riley Gaines. I’m not a big fan of Riley, actually,” Trump said.He also pushed back on how people saw the image. Trump explained: “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.”According to him, the post was removed only because people misunderstood it, not because of backlash.This moment stands out because their relationship was very strong before. In February 2025, Trump invited Gaines to the White House and praised her during an event on women’s sports. He had called her a “brave swimmer” and thanked her for her work.Gaines has also supported him at rallies and during his 2024 campaign. So, this short clash caught attention quickly, but it also ended just as fast.