A golden statue of Donald Trump has been installed at Trump National Doral, and its unveiling quickly drew attention beyond politics. Televangelist Mark Burns, who led the dedication, said the sculpture should not be seen as an object of worship, despite its gold finish and the religious concerns it raised.
The bronze figure, which stands 15 feet tall and is covered in gold leaf, shows Trump raising a fist after surviving an assassination attempt in 2024. It was financed by cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and Trump supporters, and its creator had waited months for final payment before the statue was finally revealed on Wednesday.
Burns rejects idol-worship claims
Burns moved quickly to address comparisons with the biblical golden calf, a symbol of idolatry in the Ten Commandments. “Let me say this plainly: this is not a golden calf,” he said on X, adding that the statue was “not about worship” but about “honor.”
He described the monument as “a celebration of life” and “a powerful symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, courage, and the will to keep fighting for America.” He later repeated that point, saying, “We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone.”
The pastor also pushed back on criticism that the statue reflected religious devotion toward Trump. “Honor is not worship. Respect is not idolatry,” Burns wrote, insisting that the reaction to the sculpture had gone too far.
A monument tied to Trump’s survival narrative
Supporters of Trump have long framed his survival of the June 2024 shooting, in which he was injured in the ear, as evidence of divine protection. Burns echoed that view in his initial post, saying the statue at Doral “reminds us of the hand of God over President Trump’s life.”
He added, “We thank God for preserving him and not allowing his life to be taken, not once, but multiple times.” The comments reinforced the way some of Trump’s allies interpret the attacks and threats against him as part of a larger spiritual story.
That same symbolism has also fueled longstanding accusations that some of Trump’s followers treat him in a cult-like way. The statue’s golden appearance made those comparisons even louder, even as Burns argued the message was meant to be patriotic rather than devotional.
The artist says payment finally came through
The statue’s creator, Alan Cottrill, said he had spent months waiting for the outstanding payment before the money was finally delivered two weeks ago. “The next day I installed the statue in Florida,” Cottrill told AFP on Friday.
Cottrill also said he was not invited to the dedication ceremony, underscoring the unusual path the monument took from commission to unveiling. The sequence added another layer to a project already drawing scrutiny for its scale, symbolism, and the political meaning attached to it.
For now, the statue stands as both a tribute and a flashpoint, with supporters presenting it as a sign of strength while critics focus on its religious and cultural implications. The debate around the gold-covered Trump figure shows how easily political imagery can intersect with faith language, especially when the subject already inspires intense loyalty among supporters.
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