'Dictator Trump' Statue Appears in the Heart of Washington, DC

In Response to Trump's Birthday Parade
Featuring Quotes from Putin, Kim Jong-un, and Orban

Statue "Dictator Certification" installed at the National Mall in Washington DC, USA. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

A statue satirizing U.S. President Donald Trump as a dictator has been installed in the heart of Washington, DC, the capital of the United States.

According to the Washington Post (WP) on June 18 (local time), a statue approximately 2.4 meters tall, called "Dictator Approved," appeared at the National Mall in Washington, DC on June 16. The artwork depicts a golden hand giving a thumbs-up, pressing down on the green crown of the Statue of Liberty.

The intent behind the piece can be understood from the permit issued by the National Park Service (NPS). The creators stated that the military parade held on June 14 to mark President Trump's birthday would "evoke images similar to those of authoritarian and oppressive regimes such as North Korea, Russia, and China marching through Washington, DC."

They added that "the purpose of creating the statue is to draw attention to the praise that oppressive leaders have given to Donald Trump."

On all four sides of the statue's pedestal are quotes about 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.

The inscriptions include statements such as "Trump is a very intelligent and talented person" (Putin) and "The most respected and most feared person is Donald Trump" (Orban). Kim Jong-un's remarks include "Your Excellency," "special relationship," and "President Trump's extraordinary courage."

The statue has been granted a permit to remain at the site for about a week, until 5 p.m. on June 22. The permit applicant is listed as Mary Harris, but no contact information was provided, and the actual creator has not been identified.