Throughout history, political strongmen tended to deify themselves. Few would expect the United States — self-proclaimed bastion of democracy — to join that tradition. Yet here it is. Donald Trump has erected a 22-foot gold statue of himself at his golf course, and an evangelical pastor was brought in to consecrate it like a high priest blessing a deity. Christians and Catholics erupted in outrage, with critics charging that the ceremony violates the Second Commandment— thou shalt not worship graven images — and some going so far as to call it outright heresy.
A 22-foot gold Trump statue now towers over his golf course, with an unveiling led by evangelical pastor Mark Burns that critics say turns it into a Second Commandment–breaking idol.
The gleaming statue stands front and centre before a row of palm trees at Trump's golf course — impossible to miss. The unveiling ceremony was led by evangelical pastor Mark Burns, Trump's own religious adviser, with Jewish clergy also in attendance, lending the occasion a thick layer of religious theatre. Burns described the statue as "a celebration of life" at the podium, then doubled down on social media, posting that the statue symbolises "resilience, freedom, patriotism, courage, and the will to keep fighting for America".
Burns did not stop at celebration — he pushed into full sanctification. He declared that the statue reminds Americans "reminds us of the hand of God over President Trump’s life, preserving him and not allowing his life to be taken, not once, but multiple times," framing Trump's survival of alleged assassination attempts as proof of divine protection.
Burns says the statue shows how God has repeatedly protected Trump’s life, echoing his long-running claim that Trump is a “chosen leader” for America.
This is not a new line for Burns. He has previously called Trump a "chosen by God" leader to rebuild America and wage a battle between good and evil.
The backlash among Christians and Catholics was swift and fierce. A group called Letter from Leo argued that the Catholic Church has a duty to condemn the act, reminding the faithful that two millennia of Church teaching forbid the worship of idols — and that what Burns did at the statue's unveiling constitutes a "sin."
The historical parallel is damning: in the Book of Exodus, the Israelites melted their gold into a calf and worshiped it during their flight. Moses destroyed it. He declared that faith belongs to God alone, not to idols. That episode became the bedrock of the the Second Commandments.
Reactions on social media were even sharper. "Do not bow to idols, do not be intimidated by tyrants! Follow Jesus, not Trump," wrote one Christian on X. Others skipped the nuance entirely and labelled the statue "heresy."
Trump was unmoved. He posted an image of the statue on his own platform with the caption: "The Real Deal - GOLD - At Doral in Miami. Put there by great American patriots!”
The money behind the statue carries none of Burns's holy pretensions. The backers are investors who profited from Trump's meme coin. Flush with their gains, they paid sculptor Allan Cottrill US$300,000 for the statue, then added gold plating to suit Trump's well-known taste for opulence.
This is far from Trump's first brush with self-deification. He previously posted AI-generated images depicting himself as a Christ-like figure descending to save the American people — a move that provoked immediate Christian backlash. He scrambled to walk it back, insisting the image merely showed him as a Red Cross doctor. Few bought it.
The political damage is real and mounting. Trump's recent verbal clash with Pope Leo XIV has already alienated a significant bloc of Catholic voters from the MAGA base, eroding his core support. The gold statue controversy is pouring fuel on that fire. At this rate, by the time the midterm elections arrive, Trump may well be the one who needs divine intervention.
Lai Ting-yiu
What Say You?
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Old habits die hard. Trump has never hidden his male supremacist streak, and he once boasted that "real men" can touch women however they please. Becoming president changed nothing. He has now dragged that same ugly habit into diplomacy.
On July 5th, he showed his true colors again, posting an image on social media implying Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is infatuated with him, and sneering that a "restraining order" is needed to keep her away. A deeply insulting insinuation, and it marks his second public jab at her in recent weeks. He earlier claimed she begged him for a photo at the G7 summit like an obsessive fan. Meloni denied it flatly and fired back hard, triggering a diplomatic spat.
Trump posts Meloni photo: "Restraining order needed." Blatant insult.
Analysts see something more calculated at work here than a simple ego trip. Trump's insults are not just about satisfying a male supremacist mindset, they say. He appears to be using ridicule as a tool to assert dominance over female heads of state. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presents a striking contrast: she tolerates the same treatment, and even seems pleased with it.
Before departing for Turkey today for the NATO summit, Trump posted a photo on Truth Social showing Meloni looking up at him with what he framed as an adoring gaze. His caption read: "Restraining order needed." The image builds a false narrative, one where Meloni is portrayed as obsessively infatuated with him and needing legal intervention to stay away.
Crude by any diplomatic standard. A mix of suggestive language, condescension, and mockery. His team appears to have combed through countless photos of the two leaders, cropped and framed one fleeting moment, then dressed it up with provocative text to manufacture the illusion of Meloni's infatuation.
This is not the first time Trump has targeted her this way. After last month's G7 summit, he posted that Meloni "was probably happy I talked to her" and that "I wouldn’t have even done it, but I felt sorry for her." He went further, claiming she "begged me to take a picture with her". The remarks painted a head of government as an overzealous fan pestering him for attention.
Such flippant, degrading language is a serious affront when directed at the head of a sovereign government. Meloni rejected the claims immediately, calling them "completely fabricated." Her rebuke was sharp: "I do not know why the president of the United States behaves this way toward his allies — it is certainly not the first time this has happened. There is one thing he must remember: Neither I nor Italy ever beg."
Meloni's firm pushback won her applause both at home and abroad. Trump, rather than backing off, escalated instead. Analysts believe two specific grievances are fueling his renewed attacks on her, beyond his general appetite for belittling women.
First, Meloni opposed the U.S. strike on Iran and refused to let American warplanes use bases in Sicily. Second, when Pope Leo XIV publicly condemned the war, saying those who start wars have blood on their hands, Trump lashed out and accused the Pope of being "weak on crime." Meloni sided with the Pope on that occasion too, calling Trump's attack "unacceptable" and defending the Pope's condemnation of war as entirely justified. Those two stances reportedly angered Trump, and his renewed mockery looks like an attempt to settle the score.
Insults, ridicule, and verbal attacks are standard tools in Trump's diplomatic toolbox, used on friend and foe alike. He has deployed the same tactic against Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, describing her as "she thinks I did a great job", carrying the tone of a fan idolizing a celebrity. Many Japanese citizens found the framing disrespectful toward their own leader.
Takaichi: Trump's "number one fan." She's thrilled, unlike furious Meloni.
Unlike Meloni, Takaichi has shown no anger in response. She appears receptive, even pleased, effectively accepting the role of a devoted fan. Some Japanese citizens have criticized her for this, calling her overly pro-American and lacking in dignity.
Lai Ting-yiu
