In Brief
- Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt displayed an eight-foot gold-leaf installation depicting US President Donald Trump sitting on the shoulders of a frail, smaller man.
- Titled The Orange Plague – King of Injustice, the artwork features an inscription mocking the burden placed on ordinary citizens and serves as a protest against US foreign and environmental policies.
- The temporary exhibition inside the European Parliament’s Winston Churchill building sparked debate among European officials, with supporters praising its political satire and critics questioning its presence in a diplomatic venue.
A 2.6-meter-tall gold-leaf sculpture depicting US President Donald Trump fully naked has ignited intense political debate after being put on display at the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France.
Created by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt, the eight-foot installation—titled The Orange Plague: King of Injustice—depicts a nude Trump sitting on the shoulders of a frail, crouching man. Covered in 23-karat gold leaf, the statue shows Trump holding a golf club in one hand and the scales of justice in the other. Inscribed at its base is a satirical pledge: "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."
Galschiøt framed the installation as a "satirical outcry" aimed at addressing the global impact of US climate and trade policies. "The sculpture has been made to address 'the elephant in the room' and start a necessary debate on how to stand up against policies that undermine environmental efforts and international order," Galschiøt said during the unveiling.
The installation drew varied reactions from European Union officials. Danish Member of the European Parliament Per Clausen defended the exhibit, asserting that satire remains a vital component of democratic debate. Conversely, critics and conservative lawmakers questioned the appropriateness of displaying a crude depiction of a sitting foreign head of state inside an official legislative chamber.
The White House has not issued an official statement regarding the artwork.
The temporary exhibition in Strasbourg concluded on October 8, 2026. Organizers announced that the sculpture will next be exhibited at the United Nations COP31 Climate Conference in Antalya, Turkey, in November.
