A GOP statement to mark the New Year appears to compare President-elect Donald Trump with Jesus Christ, by referring to the “good news of a new king.” On Sunday, the Republican National Committee (RNC) published its official Christmas statement, which included a simile that juxtaposed Jesus with the future president.

“Merry Christmas to all! Over two millennia ago, a new hope was born into the world, a savior who would offer the promise of salvation to all mankind,” read the statement, sent on behalf of RNC chairman and incoming White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and RNC co-chair Sharon Day. “Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new king,” it continued. The statement raised eyebrows on social media, with users wondering if they were being urged to celebrate the good news of the “new king,” who is set to assume office on January 20th, 2017.

In one of his famous tweets, the future president had described Jesus Christ as a “loser.” Despite that, the reality TV star and New York billionaire apparently remained popular among Christians up to the Election Day. In the November 8 vote, Trump won 52 percent of the Catholic vote, 58 percent of the Protestant vote, and a whopping 81 percent of the white evangelical Christian vote, according to a preliminary study of exit poll data by Pew Research Group.

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