A 2.6-metre gold statue depicting United States President Donald Trump naked has gone on display at the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France.
The sculpture, titled “The Orange Plague,” was created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt and shows Trump sitting on the shoulders of a smaller, frail-looking man. The Trump figure holds a golf club in one hand and a set of scales in the other, while a globe-shaped golf ball sits near the feet of the man carrying him.
According to the artist, the sculpture is coated in 23-karat gold leaf and was designed as a satirical commentary on Trump’s foreign policies and his approach to climate change. Galschiøt said the work was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
A plaque beneath the sculpture carries a message portraying Trump as a burden on the smaller man beneath him. The artist said the work was intended to provoke discussion about the impact of US policies on climate efforts and international affairs.
The exhibition was organised with the support of Danish European Parliament member Per Clausen, who invited Galschiøt to display the sculpture at the Parliament. Clausen defended the decision, saying the artwork was intended to encourage debate.
The sculpture is scheduled to remain on display in Strasbourg until October 8 before moving on to the United Nations COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, next month. The artwork had previously been displayed at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil and at demonstrations in Denmark.
Trump had not publicly commented on the artwork as of the latest reports.
