A gold-painted statue of a naked Donald Trump, titled “The Orange Plague,” went on display this week inside the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France, drawing sharp criticism from some EU lawmakers and a rebuke from Slovakia’s prime minister.
The 2.6-meter-tall (approximately 8.5-foot) sculpture, created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, depicts a naked Trump covered in 23-karat gold leaf, sitting on the shoulders of a frail, smaller man while holding a golf club and the scales of justice . It was exhibited from October 6 to 8 at an intersection connecting two parliamentary buildings, organized by Danish left-wing MEP Per Clausen .
The Message and Symbolism
The artwork includes an inscription at its base attributed to “The King of Injustice,” which reads: “I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except stepping down from his back.” .
Galschiøt said the sculpture is a “satirical outcry” against what he views as Trump’s threat to the rule-based world order, democratic values, and global efforts to address the climate crisis . The artist also drew inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” using the naked figure as a metaphor for a leader whose flaws are ignored out of fear or flattery .
Political Reactions
The exhibition sparked immediate controversy. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico condemned the statue as a sign of the European Union’s decline, stating on social media that insulting a partner “in official walls demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the realities of the modern era” .
Within the European Parliament, Barabara Bonte of the right-wing Patriots for Europe group criticized the display, saying that those who “lecture the world on dignity cannot even muster basic respect for the president of a friendly nation.” Barry Cowen of the liberal Renew Europe group called it “foolish and offensive” .
Organizer Per Clausen defended the exhibition, stating: “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” .
Previous Displays and Next Steps
This is not the first public showing of “The Orange Plague.” The statue previously appeared at the COP30 UN Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, and at the Munich Security Conference earlier in 2026 . According to multiple reports, it is scheduled to be displayed next at the COP31 UN Climate Conference in Antalya, Turkey, in November, where the artist plans to distribute 3D-printed miniature replicas to delegates .
Trump has not publicly commented on the statue .
