A 4.5-meter golden statue of Donald Trump, funded by cryptocurrency enthusiasts, may greet world leaders at the G20 summit at his Florida golf club.
Golden Trump Statue Planned for G20 Summit
According to New York Times reporters, a 4.5-meter statue made of bronze but gold-plated is planned for the Trump National Doral golf club, located on the outskirts of Miami. A concrete and stainless steel pedestal appeared at the site last month, as reported by The Independent. If the sculpture is placed there, it will welcome world leaders during this year’s G20 summit. In early September, Trump designated his golf club as the “best location” for organizing the event, Reuters agency reported.
Controversy Surrounding Trump Statue
The monument was financed by a group of cryptocurrency enthusiasts who named it “Don Colossus” and paid $300,000 for its creation. The sculptor, Alan Cottrill, reportedly received the commission one week after the assassination attempt on Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. The Republican’s fist-raising stance at the time was captured in numerous photos and is now immortalized in the statue.
Dispute Over Payment and Cryptocurrency Promotion
According to The Times, the sculpture is still in the sculptor’s foundry. A dispute arose between him and the commissioners after they used the statue’s image to promote a cryptocurrency called $PATRIOT. Additionally, Cottrill claims investors still owe him $90,000 of the $150,000 for the monument’s rights. “This statue will not leave my foundry until the entire debt is paid,” Cottrill told The Times. Ashley Sansalone, who worked on $PATRIOT, informed that the payment will be made before the statue’s unveiling. “In every business agreement, certain funds are withheld until the project is completed,” Sansalone said, cited by NYT.
Trump Family’s Reaction
In January, Patriot Token published a post about the statue’s progress. “What Donald Trump is preparing for the $PATRIOT community and his inner circle for this unveiling will certainly be spectacular!” the post read. Trump’s son distanced himself from the cryptocurrency on Tuesday. “The Trump Organization has no ties to Patriot Token or the memecoin ($PATRIOT) (…). We appreciate the support and enthusiasm, but we want to be clear – we are not involved in this coin,” Eric Trump wrote on X. One of the project’s organizers and Trump friend Pastor Mark Burns told NYT that the US President plans to attend the monument’s unveiling. The Republican reportedly wrote to him that the statue “looks fantastic.”
