Overview
- Trump National Doral in Florida, which hosted a dedication Wednesday, now displays a 4.6‑meter bronze statue of the president covered in gold leaf and led by evangelical pastor Mark Burns.
- Following Friday’s backlash over claims of idolatry, Burns wrote on X that it is “not a Golden Calf” and said Christians worship Jesus alone.
- The statue shows Trump with a raised fist, a pose linked to a widely shared photo taken after the July 2024 assassination attempt.
- Sculptor Alan Cottrill said cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and Trump supporters funded the work and that he installed it only after receiving long‑delayed full payment about two weeks ago.
- Coverage places the unveiling in a broader pattern of gilded projects tied to Trump, noting a judge paused his planned White House ballroom and that early designs for a 76‑meter “Arc de Trump” in Washington have been released.