Donald Trump has been immortalised by artists on countless occasions, with creatives using their talents to poke fun, criticise, educate, and even warn.
From signs and murals to carnival floats, the divisive POTUS has inspired many to remind the public that the arts are a vital way to comment, inform and inspire.
One artform which has been an effective favourite for many wishing to represent Trump is the sculpted figure. It makes sense since Trump has shown a clear preference for classical and gilded aesthetics; statues play on the man’s perception of monumentalism as being a reflection of power. Artists therefore use oversized or flashy statues to better reflect and lampoon Trump’s ego, as well as comment on the pitfalls of gaudish effigies which so often betray a sense of narcissism.
In effect, the momuments strike at the heart of Trump’s sensibilities and symbolically cast him as the eagle in Aesop’s fable – a figure undone by a self-infliction. In this case, a marked proclivity for oversized effigies.
The latest example has been “The Orange Plague”, the 2.6-meter statue by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt.
Coated with 23-karat gold, the artwork also known as “The King of Injustice” shows a nude Trump holding a comically sized golf club in one hand, a set of scales in the other, all while sitting on the back of a smaller, frailer man.
Beneath the statue is a plaque which reads: “I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except stepping down from his back. – The King of Injustice.”
According to Galschiøt, the work is a “satirical outcry” against Trump’s volatile climate and foreign policies.
The statue was previously displayed at the “hands off Greenland” demonstrations in Copenhagen earlier this year and the COP30 UN Climate Summit in Belém, Brazil last year. It has just finished its short stint at the European Parliament building in Strasbourg and is heading to the COP31 UN Climate Conference next month in Antalya, Türkiye.
Before we see “The Orange Plague” once more, here are other notable statues of Trump which have amused spectators and sought to reflect what certain people think of the current leader of the free world.
“The Emperor Has No Balls”
Artist: Indecline
Year: 2016
Original location: Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle
Description: Not one, but five 1.95m-tall statues were installed in five major cities in the US. Made of clay and silicone, the statues show a naked Trump with bits missing. The title will clue you which. The monuments were all promptly taken down, with the greatest official statement being from the New York City Parks Department, whose phrasing was perfection. They said that it “stands firmly against any unpermitted erection in city parks, no matter how small”.
“Dump Trump”
Artist: Don Lessem
Year: 2019
Original location: Trafalgar Square, London
Description: The 4.9m-tall statue depicts Donald Trump sitting on a golden toilet and on his phone, wearing a MAGA hat with the words “Impeach Me!” on the headwear. The statue was spotted during Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom. It was also seen during the Trump-organised Salute To America in Washington D.C. on 4 July 2019. Also worth noting is that the effigy emitted noises of flatulence and featured audio of Trump catchphrases like “I’m a very stable genius” and “fake news”.
“Statue of Illiberty”
Artist: Tomaž Schlegl
Year: 2019
Original location: Near Kamnik, Slovenia
Description: The wooden statue was erected only weeks after architect / artist Tomaž Schlegl’s Melenia Trump statue, which was placed in her home town of Sevnica. That one was destroyed by fire. “Statue of Illiberty” showed Trump with his arm raised in the style of the Statue of Liberty, but featured two sides. One side was Trump’s face (with luscious red lips); the other face was an image of a “vampire”, a monstruous image which served as something of a warning. And wouldn’t you know it, this statue was also burned down a year later.
“In Honor of a Lifetime of Sexual Assault”
Artist: Anonymous
Year: 2024
Original location: Portland and Philadelphia
Description: Two satirical statues, approximately 2.4m tall, which were spray painted gold, showing Trump grinning and making a grabbing gesture with his right hand. The plaque accompanying the statues was a direct quote from Trump from the infamous Access Hollywood tape: “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.”
“Best Friends Forever”
Artist: The Secret Handshake
Year: 2025
Original location: National Mall, Washington D.C.
Description: Otherwise known as “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”, this 3.7 meter-tall statue depicts Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein merrily holding hands and frolicking. It was created in protest of the relationship between Trump and Epstein and as a way to call out the sexual misconduct allegations against Trump and the redaction of the Epstein Files. The statue was constructed from foam, resin, wood and coloured to appear bronze. The center plaque read: “In Honor of Friendship Month – We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his “closest friend” Jeffrey Epstein.” It was dismantled by the US Park Police within 24 hours of installation but “Best Friends Forever” was temporarily reinstalled at various other locations in Washington D.C.
“King of the World”
Artist: The Secret Handshake
Year: 2026
Original location: National Mall, Washington D.C.
Description: The 3.6m statue was seen this year as a companion piece to “Best Friends Forever”, as it also depicts Trump and Epstein. This time, the anonymous artists belonging to The Secret Handshake mimicked the Jack and Rose pose from Titanic. The plaque accompanying it read: “The tragic love story between Jack and Rose was built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches. This monument honors the bond between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, a friendship seemingly built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches.”
