'Crooked and obscene': 43-foot-tall naked Trump statue horrifies Las Vegans
What's the story
A 43-foot-tall nude statue of former United States President Donald Trump has popped up in Las Vegas, Nevada. This statue, called "Crooked and Obscene," made its debut just before Vice President Kamala Harris's rally in the Silver State. Weighing around 2,722kg and made from foam over rebar, the gigantic naked Trump will travel the country as part of the "Crooked and Obscene Tour."
Nationwide tour
'Crooked and Obscene' tour to criss-cross US
According to the tour's organizers, portraying Trump in the nude "is intentional, serving as a bold statement on transparency, vulnerability, and the public personas of political figures." They also reportedly want to start a discourse about "transparency—or lack thereof—in politics, challenging viewers to think critically about political influence." Sources told TMZ that the statue is a reference to the controversial nature of "both the man and the statue itself."
Public response
Statue draws mixed reactions on social media
Those who cannot make it to Las Vegas will have the option to watch it on tour stops in various areas across the US. The dates and cities for the tour have not yet been announced. The statue has sparked a mixed bag of reactions. One Twitter user wondered, "Who thought this was a good idea? Can't imagine driving by that every day." Another user took a more fun-loving approach, saying, "I'm voting for the naked guy on the freeway!!!"
Twitter Post
'Is this for real,' a user commented
Well, Vegas has seen it all, but a 43-foot, 6,000-pound naked ass Trump statue titled ‘Crooked and Obscene’ just took the cake.
— Mario 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@PawlowskiMario) September 29, 2024
Vegas, you can keep it—we’re all good over here! 😂
(Shoutout to @TMZ for this gem) pic.twitter.com/bYJl5XDJJA
Artistic history
Statue reminiscent of previous Trump likenesses
This isn't the first time a statue has stirred the pot. Back during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, a bunch of naked statues that looked like him took the spotlight. Joshua "Ginger" Monroe was hired by the art collective INDECLINE to make five life-size naked statues of the Trump for a project titled "The Emperor Has No Balls." The sculptures were erected without permits in Seattle, New York City, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, but were promptly removed by authorities.