Full Breakdown
Gilded Satire: A Naked Trump Statue Takes Center Stage in the European Parliament
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Core Event – Installation of “The Orange Plague”
On October 6, 2026 an eight-and-a-half-foot (2.6 m) copper sculpture coated in 23-karat gold leaf was unveiled inside the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France. Titled *The Orange Plague* (also “King of Injustice”), it depicts a nude Donald Trump perched on a frail bronze figure, clutching a golf club and a set of scales. A plaque reads: “I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except step down from his back.” The piece was installed as part of a three-day exhibition sponsored by Danish MEP Per Clausen of the Left group.
Background & Context – From Climate Summits to European Hallways
Artist Jens Galschiøt first displayed the statue at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025 before bringing it to the Munich Security Conference and Copenhagen demonstrations. Galschiøt says the work draws on *The Emperor’s New Clothes* and is meant as a “satirical outcry” against perceived U.S. obstruction of climate action.
Data & Statistics
- Height: 2.6 m (? 8.5 ft)
- Material: copper, 23-karat gold leaf
- Exhibition period: through October 8, 2026
- Miniature replicas: the artist reported printing around 20,000 3D-printed versions, though other outlets noted 1,000–10,000 copies being handed out.
Timeline
- Oct 6, 2026 – Statue unveiled in the Parliament hallway.
- Oct 7, 2026 – Galschiøt and Clausen give media interviews; quaestors approve the exhibition.
- Oct 8, 2026 (scheduled) – Planned end of the exhibition; reports differ on whether it was removed on Oct 7 or stayed until Oct 8.
Official Statements & Responses
The Parliament’s press service confirmed quaestor approval, noting that approval does not endorse the statue’s message and that each MEP may sponsor two cultural events per term.
Criticism & Opposition
- Barbara Bonte, Belgian MEP (Patriots for Europe), called the work a “disgrace.”
- Erno Schaller-Baross, Hungarian MEP (Fidesz), said a similar depiction of EU officials would be “hypocrisy.”
- Barry Cowen, Irish MEP (Renew Europe), described it as “silly and objectionable” while defending the right to oppose Trump’s policies.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Removal date: Some outlets say the statue was taken down on Oct 7, others that it remained until Oct 8.
- Number of miniatures: Reported figures range from 1,000 to 20,000, showing uncertainty about distribution volume.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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.
- “I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except step down from his back.” — Jens Galschiøt.
- “It is sad that the leadership of the European Parliament, in its blindness, can no longer distinguish between the legitimate right to hold a different opinion and the actions of spiritually bankrupt individuals, adventurers and lunatics,” — Robert Fico, Slovak prime minister.