A series of provocative statues satirizing former President Donald Trump have appeared across the United States, stirring both fascination and debate. While Washington, D.C., has drawn the most attention with recent installations, similar statues in Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon, echo the trend of art installations challenging Trump’s public legacy in highly symbolic ways.
Last week, Washington, D.C., saw two sculptures unexpectedly appear: a replica of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk, defaced with a comical pile of feces, and a large hand gripping a tiki torch, reminiscent of the torches wielded by white supremacists at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Each piece includes a satirical plaque, with the “Pelosi desk” installment honoring those who defiled the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the tiki torch sculpture calling out Trump’s “very fine people” comment in reference to the Charlottesville rally.
In Philadelphia, a life-sized Trump statue was positioned near Gerhard Marcks’ famous “Maja,” a sculpture of a reclining nude woman, creating an arresting juxtaposition. The Trump statue, bearing the title In Honor of a Lifetime of Sexual Assault, refers directly to allegations and controversial statements Trump made on the 2005 Access Hollywood tape. The accompanying plaque quotes the infamous line, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” a reference to his remarks that drew intense criticism when they resurfaced just prior to the 2016 presidential election.
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Similarly, a statue appeared in Portland, Oregon, strategically placed next to the Kvinneakt sculpture, a notable piece that has stood since the 1970s and became famous in the “Expose Yourself to Art” poster featuring future Portland Mayor Bud Clark. However, the Portland Trump statue met a swift and destructive fate. Shortly after its appearance, it was dismantled, reportedly by Portland City Council candidate and outspoken Trump supporter Brandon Farley, who was recorded removing the “slanderous plaque” and eventually dismantling the figure.
While the identity of the artist or artists behind these installations remains unknown, their designs and messages bear striking similarities, with Civic Crafted LLC claiming responsibility for the D.C. pieces. They state that their work aims to “express the principles of democracy, justice, and freedom.”
City responses to these statues vary, and each installation has sparked a unique local reaction. In Washington, D.C., the National Park Service granted Civic Crafted LLC a temporary permit to display the controversial pieces through Election Day.
