Praise for Trump from Putin and Kim Jong Un
Featured on the Base of the Statue
A statue satirizing U.S. President Donald Trump as a dictator has been installed in the heart of Washington, DC.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on June 18 (local time), a statue approximately 2.4 meters tall, called "Dictator Approved," appeared on the National Mall in Washington, DC on June 16. The artwork features a golden thumb pressing down on the crown of the Statue of Liberty.
Statue Installed at National Mall in Washington DC Titled 'Dictator Certification'. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
According to the permit issued by the National Park Service (NPS), the statue was created to mark President Trump's birthday on June 14 and to criticize both the military parade held in his honor and authoritarianism in general.
The creators of the piece commented that the parade evoked "images similar to those of dictatorial and oppressive regimes such as North Korea, Russia, and China marching in Washington, DC." Regarding the purpose behind the statue, they added, "We wanted to draw attention to the praise that these oppressive leaders have directed toward Donald Trump."
The base of the statue features quotes praising President Trump from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un. Examples include: "Trump is a very intelligent and talented individual" (Putin), and "The most respected and most feared person is Donald Trump" (Orban). Kim Jong Un's remarks include "Your Excellency" and references to "President Trump's extraordinary courage."
The statue is scheduled to remain on display for about a week, until 5 p.m. on June 22. The permit application listed a person named "Mary Harris" as the applicant, but no contact information was provided, and the actual creator has not been identified.
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