As world leaders prepare to descend on Miami for the upcoming G20 summit, they will be met with a striking—or perhaps controversial—sight: a colossal 22-foot statue of Donald Trump. This golden effigy, dubbed “Don Colossus,” has been commissioned by a consortium of cryptocurrency investors eager to promote their memecoin, $PATRIOT. The statue’s placement at Trump National Doral, the venue for the summit, raises eyebrows about the intersection of politics, art, and profit.
A Monumental Undertaking
The statue, crafted by Ohio-based artist Alan Cottrill, is being sculpted from bronze to create a larger-than-life representation of the 45th and 47th President of the United States. Cottrill, who has previously created statues of other American leaders and boasts works housed in the U.S. Capitol, has revealed that the project has encountered significant hurdles. He noted that the commissioning group requested alterations to the statue to create a more flattering representation of the nearly 80-year-old Trump. “I had him very lifelike,” Cottrill remarked, adding, “The crypto guys said I had to get rid of some of the turkey neck. I had to thin him down.”
However, the project has not progressed smoothly. Cottrill has withheld the statue at his foundry due to a financial dispute with the investors, claiming they have misappropriated an image of his work to promote their failing cryptocurrency. Cottrill is owed $90,000 of a $150,000 total payment for the statue, and he has stated unequivocally that “that statue will not leave my foundry until everything they owe me is paid.”
Controversy Brews
The commissioning group, led by Ashley Sansalone, asserts that the withheld payment is standard practice in business agreements, insisting that all funds will be settled before the statue’s unveiling. Despite claims of financial mismanagement, Sansalone remains optimistic about the completion of “Don Colossus,” which he believes will be a key highlight at the summit.
Images of the statue have circulated on social media, eliciting a mix of admiration and disbelief. One user praised Cottrill’s talent, calling it “Brilliant work,” while others viewed the project more cynically, considering it emblematic of Trump’s polarising legacy.
The Summit’s Significance
Scheduled for December 14-15, the G20 summit will take place at Trump National Doral, a decision that has sparked discussions about the appropriateness of hosting such a significant event at a venue owned by a sitting president. The White House insists it is not involved in the cryptocurrency project or the statue’s installation. However, Trump’s administration has been actively involved in planning the summit’s agenda, which aims to address economic growth and technological advancement.
The statue’s design, featuring Trump in a suit with an open-collared shirt and a raised fist, draws inspiration from a moment captured during a speech in July 2024, when a gunman narrowly missed him. Despite its artistic intentions, the statue’s extravagant gold leaf finish and grandiose scale may provoke comparisons to monuments in more authoritarian regimes, such as North Korea.
Why it Matters
As the G20 summit looms, the juxtaposition of political power and commercial interests becomes starkly evident. The looming presence of “Don Colossus” not only encapsulates the fervent admiration and disdain for Trump but also raises critical questions about the role of art in political discourse. This statue is more than a mere symbol; it embodies the complexities of celebrity culture, the cryptocurrency boom, and the multifaceted nature of American politics, making it a significant focal point in an already contentious political landscape.
