‘This is not an idol. This is a sculpture’
This article originally appeared at Baptist News Global on September 19, 2025.
In just four years, we’ve gone from Trump supporters erecting a gallows in front of the U.S. Capitol building to a 12-foot-tall golden Trump statue holding out a Bitcoin.
The official story is that this golden Trump statue was built by a group of cryptocurrency investors to foster discussion about our financial future as the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates again.
When the statue first appeared, many people wondered if Trump was behind it, given how obsessed he is with himself and with gold. But like the insurrection gallows, Trump can wash his hands of it and pass the buck.
According to Hichem Zaghdoudi, who spoke on behalf of the group behind the golden statue, it’s meant to be a “symbol of the intersection between modern politics and financial innovation.” He said, “As the Federal Reserve shapes economic policy, we hope this statue prompts reflection on cryptocurrency’s growing influence.”
But while it may be easy to pass it off as a harmless work of art by a group of crypto nerds, it still leaves many of us feeling off. Why does modern politics seem so bizarre?
President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on June 5. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
‘Gold is godly’
It’s not the first time gold has been a topic of conversation in recent weeks. As we explored in Episode 53 of “Highest Power: Church + State,” Trump supporters have become obsessed with gold.
“Have you seen the upgrades to the dignity of what it looks like in the Oval Office?” Christian nationalist Pastor Shane Vaughn asked. “Donald Trump has glorified the Oval Office. … He’s made it look like Buckingham Palace.”
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