A towering gold-colored statue of President Trump, unveiled with a blessing from an Evangelical pastor, is drawing intense criticism—sparked by accusations of idolatry from some and anger toward clergy figures defending it from others.
The statue, which stands 22 feet tall, depicts Trump raised high on a pedestal with his fist thrust upward—a pose that echoes the widely circulated image taken during the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.
It was introduced during a Wednesday dedication led by Mark Burns of ‘Pastors for Trump’. The figure has been placed near Trump’s own Florida golf course. Posting about the gleaming monument, Trump wrote this week: “The Real Deal – GOLD – At Doral in Miami. Put there by great American Patriots!!!”
Given the unmistakable religious undertones of religious leaders celebrating a towering golden figure, Pastor Burns addressed the backlash directly as it built online. “Let me be clear: this is not a golden calf,” he said.
Burns went on to frame the monument as something symbolic rather than devotional, saying: “This statue is a celebration of life. It is a symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, strength, and the will power to keep fighting for the future of America.”
Still, critics argue that even setting aside the “golden calf” comparison—drawn from Exodus, where the Israelites worship a gold idol while Moses is on Mount Sinai—scripture contains other warnings about elevating leaders through massive public monuments.
Some also pointed to Daniel 3 and the account of King Nebuchadnezzar, who orders people to bow before a huge statue, only for three faithful men to refuse and expose the spiritual danger of coerced reverence toward an idol.
In that context, many observers said it’s hard to reconcile the visual of a giant golden statue of a political leader with the caution often emphasized by religious tradition about worship, pride, and misplaced devotion.
As the debate grew, another prominent pastor who defended the statue faced heavy mockery online. MAGA-aligned pastor Robert Jeffress remarked: “It looks like President Trump has a better understanding of what the Bible teaches about the role of government than the Pope has.”
That comment set off a wave of backlash, with many calling the claim absurd and others saying it reinforced the idea that some of Trump’s backers treat their politics like a belief system.
Q: What’s your favorite Bible verse?
Trump: I wouldn't want to get into it because to me that's very personal. You know, when I talk about the Bible it's very personal.
Q: Are you an Old Testament guy or a New Testament guy?
Trump: Uh, probably equal. think it’s just an… https://t.co/3NDmc5lRmd pic.twitter.com/JlqcQkzfnq
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 9, 2026
One angry social media user replied: “This Pastor must be absolutely stupid to make a statement like that. Its because of him and Christians like him that we have the worst disruptor of world peace in the White House.”
Critics also contrasted Jeffress’ claim with the Pope’s lifelong theological training—years devoted to studying the Old and New Testaments and the long history of Catholic teaching and interpretation. They also pointed to past interviews in which Trump struggled to cite scripture.
In one exchange, when asked to name a favorite Bible passage, Trump answered: I wouldn’t want to get into it because to me that’s very personal. You know, when I talk about the Bible it’s very personal.”
When the interviewer tried to narrow it down by asking which half of the Bible he preferred, Trump responded: “Uh, probably equal. think it’s just an incredible….the whole Bible is an incredible.”