A Golden Statue of Trump Wielding a Bitcoin Causes a Scandal in Washington

For some time now, statues related to Bitcoin have been multiplying. The one of Satoshi Nakamoto in Budapest, then the one in Lugano, generated a lot of buzz. And now a new chapter is being written in Washington: a golden statue of Donald Trump wielding a bitcoin. For some crypto enthusiasts, the former American president almost reaches the status of the father of BTC. An explosive mix of politics, pop culture, and digital finance.

Bitcoin: When Trump Becomes a Golden Icon in Front of the Capitol

One September morning, a 12-foot golden statue representing Donald Trump holding a bitcoin appeared in front of the Capitol. The installation was funded by crypto investors and promoted by members of Pump.fun. For them, the aim was clear: to spark a debate on digital currency and its role in monetary policy. 

The event did attract attention as it coincided with the Fed’s decision to cut its key interest rate by 0.25 point, reducing it from 4.3% to 4.1%.

Hichem Zaghdoudi, one of the organizers, summed it up as follows: “This installation is designed to spark a conversation about the future of government currencies and symbolizes the meeting between modern politics and financial innovation.”

The Trump-Crypto Cult: Sincere Tribute or Calculated Manipulation?

For its supporters, this statue is a tribute. Zaghdoudi stated: 

It’s a statement, it’s to show everyone that without the president, we would never have had this massive adoption of Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and all these big institutions buying Bitcoin… It shows that it’s the future and it is our thanks, our statement, to the president.

But behind the gold lie contradictions. Trump multiplied gestures favorable to the crypto industry while lifting some regulatory restrictions. Yet, the bitcoin bull run began as early as 2023, under Biden, driven by the arrival of crypto ETFs. 

The statue then becomes a narrative weapon: glorifying Trump as a driver of crypto adoption, while other factors played a decisive role. Some see it as a cult of personality, others as a clever marketing strategy.

Between Crypto Happening and Economic Contradictions

The installation also resembles a crypto happening. The statue was made of hard foam to be easily transported and linked to the creation of a memecoin on Pump.fun. It is part of a series of activist statues already seen on the National Mall, often critical of Trump, but this time openly laudatory.

Some figures to remember

• 12 feet: the height of the golden statue erected in Washington;
• 4.1%: the new key interest rate after the Fed’s decision;
• 2023: start of the Bitcoin bull run, before Trump’s return to power;
• Pump.fun: the memecoin platform behind the staging.

This juxtaposition of monetary policy, crypto marketing, and cult of personality highlights the contradictions of the Trump era. Behind the golden splendor, one question remains: artistic symbol or political influence tool to legitimize bitcoin?

This golden statue of Trump, as much a political as a crypto symbol, could remain a striking image. Yet, as in Lugano where the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto was stolen before being found, nothing guarantees that this golden relic will survive long in the streets of Washington. In any case, it confirms the growing imprint of bitcoin in the collective imagination.