A towering gold-colored statue of President Donald Trump unveiled at Trump National Doral in Florida has sparked sharp criticism and renewed debate over the relationship between religion, political loyalty and modern conservative movements within American Christianity.
The 22-foot monument, known as ‘Don Colossus,’ depicts Trump raising his fist following the 2024 assassination attempt during a campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania. The unveiling ceremony drew national attention after Mark Burns, a prominent Black pastor and outspoken Trump supporter, delivered a blessing over the statue while dismissing comparisons to the biblical golden calf described in the Book of Exodus.
“This is not a golden calf,” Burns said during the ceremony.
Critics, including many Black Christians and social media commentators, strongly disagreed. Online reactions compared the statue to idol worship and questioned what they described as the growing fusion of political devotion and religious symbolism surrounding Trump and parts of the evangelical movement.
The controversy also reignited conversations within Black church circles, where traditions of resistance to authoritarian power and racial oppression have historically shaped political engagement and religious leadership. Critics argued the image of a Black pastor blessing a massive golden statue of a political figure clashed with those longstanding traditions.
The monument reportedly cost approximately $450,000 and was funded in part by cryptocurrency investors connected to the $PATRIOT memecoin project. Artist Alan Cottrill, who created the statue, said organizers requested a gold-leaf finish reportedly favored by Trump.
Although Burns later emphasized that “we worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone,” the unveiling continued drawing criticism from political commentators, clergy members and television personalities.
Conservative commentator Ana Navarro criticized the display on ABC’s The View, describing it as carrying “small dictator energy.” Late-night host Stephen Colbert mocked the unveiling as “recreational idolatry” during an episode of The Late Show.
Supporters of the monument argued critics were overreacting and said the statue was intended as a patriotic symbol rather than a religious object.
“This statue was not created for worship,” Burns said in comments published by Premier Christian News. “It was created as a symbol of resilience, patriotism, courage, and gratitude.”
The unveiling comes as Trump continues to maintain strong support among many White evangelical voters, although recent polling cited in the discussion showed a slight decline in approval ratings among evangelicals earlier this year.
