Trump Branded a Dictator By New Gold Statue in DC: 'The Most Feared Person'
A new statue has appeared on the National Mall in Washington DC, seemingly branding President Donald Trump a dictator and featuring quotes that purport that message.
The statue features a large golden thumb crushing the statue of liberty atop a pedestal. The plaque emblazoned onto the pedestal reads "Dictator Approved." It is accompanied by a quote from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a staunch Trump ally.
"The most respected, the most feared person is Donald Trump," the quote reads.
Another quote from Russian President Vladimir Putin reads, "President Trump 'is a very bright and talented man.'"
A third, attributed to North Korea's Kim Jung Un reads, "Your Excellency. A 'special' relationship. The extraordinary courage of President Trump."
"It's huge and just sticks out in the mall," said Corinne, a passerby who flagged the statue to the Huffington Post.
Social media users reposted images of the statue in amusement.
"Trump is dictator-approved. A new statue on the National Mall," one user said.
"Amazing, just saw A Giant Statue of 'Trump as a Dictator' On The National Mall in DC," wrote a Reddit user.
"Brilliant, love this," another user wrote.
Similar statues and monuments were installed in DC by activists last fall. A bronze colored "poop" monument appeared before the 2024 election "honoring" the participants of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Another poop monument appeared near the Capitol, seemingly dedicated to Trump.
Originally published on Latin Times
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
37 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
Oil Stabilises After Surge, Stocks Drop As Mideast Crisis Fuels Jitters
Oil prices stabilised Wednesday after surging the previous day on fears of a US intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict sparked by Donald Trump calling for Tehran's "unconditional surrender". Iran and Israel exchanged missiles for a sixth day, with the US president's latest comments appearing to dent hopes that the crisis in the Middle East could be calmed. Leaving the G7 summit in Canada a day early on Monday, Trump said he was aiming for a "real end" to the conflict, not just a ceasefire. He later shared a series of social media posts that stoked speculation he could be planning to join Israel in its strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. Days after a senior US official said Trump had told Israel to back down from plans to assassinate top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the US president looked to reverse course. "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there -- We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Warning Iran against targeting US interests, he also posted: "But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin." And in a later post wrote: "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" The comments sent oil prices spiking more than four percent Tuesday on fears an escalation of the conflict could hammer supplies from the crude-rich region. But while both main contracts dipped Wednesday, investors remain on edge over any negative developments. Of particular concern is the possibility of Iran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz, through which around an estimated fifth of global oil supply traverses, according to the Commerzbank note. "Iran is reportedly ready to target US regional bases should Trump greenlight strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities," said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management. "Washington's refuelling jets are already en route, and if Fordow gets hit, expect the Strait of Hormuz to become a maritime minefield, Houthi drones to swarm Red Sea shipping lanes, and every militia from Basra to Damascus to light up American forward outposts." Markets Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Wellington, Manila and Jakarta all sank, though Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei edged up. The losses followed a weak day on Wall Street, where a below-forecast reading on US retail sales for May -- dragged by a slowdown in auto sales -- revived fresh worries about the world's top economy. That came as another report showed factory output fell unexpectedly. Still, they did provide a little hope the Federal Reserve will eventually cut interest rates, with traders betting on two by the end of the year, according to Bloomberg News. Investors will be keeping track of the bank's latest meeting as it concludes later in the day, with most observers predicting it will stand pat. However, it is also due to release its rate and economic growth outlook for the rest of the year, which are expected to take account of the impact of Trump's tariff war. "The Fed would no doubt be cutting again by now if not for the uncertainty regarding tariffs and a recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East," said KPMG senior economist Benjamin Shoesmith. West Texas Intermediate: FLAT at $74.83 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $76.37 per barrel Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 38,791.80 (break) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.3 percent at 23,680.69 Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,373.49 Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1498 from $1.1488 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3434 from $1.3425 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 145.15 yen from 145.27 yen New York - Dow: DOWN 0.7 percent at 42,215.80 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 8,834.03 (close)
Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Canada Needs 'Bold Ambition' To Poach Top US Researchers
Like Europe, Canada is looking to attract top US scientists who may want to evade President Donald Trump's crackdown on universities and research institutions. But to succeed, Canada will need to summon something it has at times lacked, namely "bold ambition," the head of the country's largest hospital chain told AFP. Trump's funding cuts for scientific research are freeing up talent and "creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to recruit, said Kevin Smith, the chief executive of Toronto's University Health Network (UHN). To seize that opportunity, Canada has to ditch its traditional "incrementalist" approach, Smith added. "Let's not say good enough is good enough. Let's say excellent is where we need to go." Experts say Trump's policies could trigger a tectonic shift in the global competition for the world's brightest minds. For decades, deep-pocketed US universities backed by federal support have scooped up talent, including in biomedical research. But Trump's administration has already slashed billions of dollars in research grants affecting various institutions, including most notably Harvard University. Programs affected by the National Institutes of Health's cuts include studies on gender, the health effects of global warming, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. France and the European Union are already trying to woo disgruntled US researchers. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said last month that the EU would launch a new incentives package worth 500 million euros ($577 million) to make the 27-nation bloc "a magnet for researchers". Smith and UHN's vice president for science and research, Brad Wouters, argued that Canada -- and particularly its largest city, Toronto -- are well placed to compete for US talent. English-speaking, culturally familiar, and geographically close to major US research centers in New England and New York, Toronto boasts a hospital network and research ecosystem regularly ranked among the world's best. The city has already poached three high-profile academics from Yale University, although all work in the arts. The group -- who study fascism -- announced last month in a stirring New York Times video that they were leaving the United States to take up positions in Toronto. "I'm leaving to the University of Toronto because I want to do my work without the fear that I will be punished," one of the professors, Jason Stanley, said in the video. Wouters told AFP that since Trump's election, UHN "started to see a talent pool that was a notch higher than what we normally see" for vacant positions, with leading US-based scientists initiating inquiries about opportunities in Toronto. UHN has launched a plan to create 100 medical research positions through its own fundraising but wants institutions across Canada to attract 1,000 new scientists. Reaching that target will require government support, and confronting an ingrained Canadian mindset that prioritizes sharing healthcare resources equally across the vast country. The plan will face "a bit of a collision between the peanut butter spread of equality versus elitism," Smith said. "That isn't always easy for governments or for elected we're pretty hopeful," he added. Matthew Lebo, a political scientist at Ontario's Western University, agreed Trump's policies have created an unprecedented opportunity for brain gain in Canada. But he voiced concern the country wouldn't mobilize. "Canada has a history of being comfortable playing a supporting role," he told AFP. "There is just an inherent lack of ambition." Lebo noted that while some US-based researchers may be concerned about crackdowns on their work, others might eye Canada for personal reasons, including the desire to live in a country where reproductive and LGBTQ rights are more firmly safeguarded. While he hasn't yet seen signs of broad national action, he said "it wouldn't take deep thought to catch up." "It takes some big number (of dollars) and a plan." The CN tower looms over the Toronto skyline AFP
Int'l Business Times
3 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Curfew Lifted In LA As Trump Battles For Control Of California Troops
Calm appeared to be returning to protest-hit Los Angeles on Tuesday as the mayor lifted a nighttime curfew, while President Donald Trump battled to keep control of California troops he deployed to the city. A fraction of the sprawling US city had been off-limits from 8pm to 6am to most people for a week after instances of looting and vandalism during demonstrations against Trump's immigration raids. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the curfew had been "largely successful in protecting stores, restaurants, businesses and residential communities from bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community." However, she added that, "as we continue quickly adapting to chaos coming from Washington," she was prepared to reissue a curfew if needed. Bass and other California officials have accused Trump of inflaming tensions by sending 4,000 of the state's National Guard troops -- as well as 700 Marines -- to the second-largest US city. In a show of political muscle, Trump ignored the objections of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who would usually oversee the Guard. A judge said Thursday that the Republican president's actions were "illegal" and ordered that he return control of the force to Newsom. But a higher court paused that ruling after the Trump administration lodged an appeal and slammed the judge's order as an "extraordinary intrusion on the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief." At an appeals hearing Tuesday, the Justice Department argued that Trump needed to keep control of California's troops to ensure federal immigration officers could carry out arrests without threats from the public. "Unfortunately, local authorities are either unable or unwilling to protect federal personnel and property from the mob violence ongoing in Los Angeles today," said Brett Shumate, representing the Trump administration. California officials have rejected that charge, insisting that Trump's use of the military has escalated demonstrations that Los Angeles that law enforcement could have handled. Samuel Harbourt, representing Newsom and California, pointed out that local authorities in Los Angeles have made around 1,000 arrests during the disorder. "Are we in a world that's so different from normal conditions as to justify an extreme measure like militarizing the situation and bringing in the National Guard?" he said. Harbourt urged the San Francisco court to lift the pause on the original order, meaning Trump would have to concede control of the Guard. "Every day that this order remains in effect it is causing harm for our nation's broader democratic tradition of separation of the military from civilian affairs," he said. That, he added, "sets a precedent for this president, and future presidents, to take similar actions going forward." The fatigue-wearing guardsmen have been tasked with protecting federal property in Los Angeles, stationed outside buildings with helmets and large shields. US law restricts them from arresting citizens, though some guardsmen have fired tear gas and non-lethal rounds towards protesters, according to local media. It is the first time since 1965 that a US president has deployed the National Guard without the express wishes of a state's governor. Trump has been unrepentant, taking credit for making Los Angeles "safe" and declaring that Newsom -- a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 -- had "totally lost control." The dispute mirrors multiple other tussles over Trump's attempts to expand the limits of presidential power, but is the first to involve troops. Like other cases, it could go all the way to the Supreme Court, where conservative judges hold a 6-3 majority. Many in Los Angeles are angry about immigration raids carried out as part of Trump's ambition to deport vast numbers of undocumented migrants around the country. Outrage at the use of masked, armed immigration agents has also sparked protests in other cities, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago and San Antonio, Texas. Some businesses in downtown Los Angeles were boarded up during demonstrations against federal immigration raids in the city AFP Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Los Angeles, sometimes clashing with local law enforcement AFP
