A towering gold statue of Donald Trump was unveiled at the president's golf course in Doral, Florida, during an emotionally charged ceremony led by an Evangelical pastor. The 22-foot colossus depicts Trump with his fist thrust into the air, echoing his defiant gesture after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
At Wednesday's dedication, the sculpture was draped in white and blue fabric resembling a Greek toga, surrounded by a few dozen guests. Pastor Mark Burns, a member of Pastors for Trump, addressed the crowd, stating on social media that the effigy was not a false idol. 'Let me be clear: this is not a golden calf,' he said. 'This statue is a celebration of life. It is a symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, strength, and the will power to keep fighting for the future of America.'
Burns, who previously described Trump as divinely appointed, added that the sculpture serves as a reminder that God is protecting the president's life. During the ceremony, he held his phone to the microphone, playing a message from Trump thanking him and saying the statue 'was done from love.'
The statue, which rises 15 feet atop a 7-foot base, was commissioned and funded by a collective of crypto investors promoting their memecoin, $PATRIOT. Sculptor Alan Cottrill told The Times in February he agreed to create the bronze figure for $300,000 but complained of slow payment. In November, he proposed coating it in gold leaf, a suggestion he said was enthusiastically accepted.
Cottrill, who has sculpted 16 presidents, said he was holding the statue hostage until full payment. The investors countered that 'the statue was paid in full a year ago.' This is not the first Trump statue in the US; others have appeared near the Capitol, including one with Jeffrey Epstein, quickly removed.
