The statue, created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, shows Trump sitting on the shoulders of a frail, smaller figure. His thighs and sagging belly wrap tightly around the man’s head, while his hands clutch a long golf club and the scales of justice. According to Galschiøt, the piece symbolizes the U.S. president’s perceived threats to the environment and the rules-based world order. “Trump is destroying all the things I believe in,” the artist stated.
Artistic Critique and Political Sponsorship
The exhibition was not organized by the European Parliament itself, but was sponsored by Per Clausen, a member of Denmark’s socialist Red-Green Alliance party and a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Elected in 2024, Clausen is part of The Left, a minority left-wing group that represents approximately 6% of the seats in the European Parliament. Under parliamentary rules, each MEP is entitled to sponsor two cultural events or exhibitions per parliamentary term in dedicated areas, provided they are approved by the quaestors, a cross-party group responsible for administrative matters.
Clausen stated that the goal is to raise the discussion in Europe regarding how the continent can make its self-defense against Trump and pursue politics that are not dependent on him. “The way Trump acts is a very, very big problem for people in Europe,” Clausen said. “I want to raise the discussion in Europe about how we can make our self-defense against Trump, and how can we make politics that is not dependent on him.”
Galschiøt explained that the decision to depict Trump naked alludes to Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” in which a vain emperor parades through the city in the nude. “Like the emperor in the fairy tale, he believes that gold makes him majestic. It only makes his nakedness more glaring,” Galschiøt noted, suggesting that the gold leaf serves to contrast outward glamour with what he sees as the true essence of the figure.
Parliamentary Rules and Public Reaction
While the exhibit has been approved, parliamentary rules prohibit events deemed “offensive or of an inflammatory nature” or those that “undermine the dignity of Parliament.” A spokesperson for the European Parliament’s press service confirmed that the exhibit was approved by the quaestors, who assess compliance with existing rules. However, the parliament clarified that permission is not tantamount to explicit endorsement of the contents.
Galschiøt, who had feared the application would be rejected, considers the green light a form of tacit approval from European parliamentarians. “I think a lot of American people say, ‘OK, this is our president, but he’s also ridiculous in a way,’” he said. “And I think most Europeans see him like that, too.”
The response from the public and politicians within the building has been largely positive, aside from criticism from some on the extreme right wing. Clausen emphasized the importance of having the opportunity in parliament to show things that not everybody agrees with. The display is accompanied by over 1,000 3D-printed miniatures of the sculpture, which are being made available to passersby as “protest tokens.”
Broader Context and Future Displays
This is not the first time Galschiøt has exhibited “The Orange Plague” in public. The work has previously been displayed at the Munich Security Conference and last November’s COP30 UN climate conference in Brazil. The artist plans to display the sculpture again at COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, next month.
The text on the statue’s plinth reads: “I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except step down from his back.” This inscription underscores the theme of dependency and burden that Clausen and Galschiøt aim to highlight in the context of transatlantic relations.
President Trump has yet to comment on the artwork. As the temporary display remains on show until Thursday, the statue serves as a focal point for a broader debate about power dynamics, security, and the future of European autonomy in a shifting geopolitical landscape.
