Donald Trump golden nude statue unveiled at European Parliament

A towering, gold-coated statue depicting a naked Donald Trump perched upon the shoulders of a smaller, heavily burdened man has gone on display inside the European Parliament, injecting fresh friction into transatlantic relations and testing the limits of political provocation in European institutions.

According to primary reporting by Newsweek and International Business Times, the sculpture stands approximately 2.5 to 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) tall, including its base. Covered entirely in 23-carat gold leaf to reflect the U.S. President's signature aesthetic, the artwork is positioned at a busy intersection connecting two buildings within the European Parliament complex in Strasbourg, France.

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Gold Naked Statue of Donald Trump Displayed at European Parliament

Created by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot, the piece is officially titled "The Orange Plague" and is alternatively known as the "King of Injustice." The figure portrays a heavyset, nude Trump clutching a long golf club—with a golf ball shaped like the world—in one hand, and a set of scales representing justice in the other. Beneath the sculpture, a plaque features a satirical inscription attributed to the central character, stating: 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.

Galschiot explained on his website, as reported by The Daily Beast and International Business Times Australia, that the imagery serves as a visual metaphor for the administration's assault on climate change prevention and the rules-based global order. The artist noted that the work evolved from his earlier 2002 sculpture "Survival of the Fattest," which depicted an emaciated boy carrying an overweight woman to highlight global resource inequality. Furthermore, Galschiot drew inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Emperor's New Clothes, noting that the illusion of a vain ruler's grandeur is sustained only by fear and flattery until challenged.

The exhibition was hosted inside the parliament following an invitation from Per Clausen, a left-wing Danish member of the European Parliament belonging to the Left group. Addressing critics who warned against provoking the American leader, Clausen defended the display by arguing that European institutions must reject self-censorship. Speaking to journalists, Clausen asserted:

"If someone is so thin-skinned that they cannot tolerate this sculpture being exhibited in the European Parliament, then they have no place on the world stage."

Per Clausen, Danish MEP, via Deutsche Welle and Newsweek

The White House has not publicly responded to the statue or its placement inside the parliamentary building, according to updates compiled by Daily Mail.

To broaden the scope of the protest, Galschiot's team distributed miniature protest tokens to visitors and uploaded open-source digital files online, allowing individuals with access to a 3D printer to fabricate their own replicas at home.

The exhibition stands in stark contrast to more triumphant depictions of the U.S. President elsewhere, such as the 15-foot clothed monument titled "Don Colossus" unveiled at a Miami golf course earlier in the year.

The golden statue is scheduled to remain on public display within the European Parliament until Thursday, after which it will be packed up and transported to Turkey for the United Nations COP31 climate conference in November, where the artist plans to continue distributing 3D-printed miniatures to international delegates.