Plans for a gaudy Donald J. Trump presidential library in Miami have sparked widespread ridicule. A video posted on social media on Monday night depicts a 50-storey structure decked in gold, featuring a giant statue of Trump and a $400m Boeing 'flying palace' gifted by Qatar in its lobby.
The proposed library would tower over the adjacent Miami Freedom Tower, a symbol of US rejection of oppression. Eric Trump, the president's son and co-chair of the non-profit foundation seeking donations, described it as 'a lasting testament to an amazing man' and 'the greatest President our Nation has ever known'.
The release coincided with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing a law renaming Palm Beach International Airport after Trump. While supporters praised the video, critics were swift. Gavin Newsom's office posted images of giant effigies of other world leaders, mocking the gold statue. Author Rutger Bregman compared it to a 'golden statue in a temple where the faithful gather to worship their idol'.
The video gave no timeline for construction, but the waterfront land already belongs to Eric Trump's foundation after a controversial transfer from Miami-Dade College. A federal judge initially blocked the transaction but the ruling was overturned. Local historian Marvin Dunn called it 'a land giveaway to the Trump Library Foundation'.
Plans also include an amphitheater, re-creations of the Oval Office, and a contentious new ballroom. Eric Trump told the Miami Herald: 'Miami deserves this building. It will be a masterpiece, the likes of which have never been seen in Florida or really anywhere.'
