WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just days before the inauguration of President Donald Trump, Ohio artist Alan Cottrill has unveiled a striking 15-foot-tall bronze statue of the former president. Titled “Don Colossus”, the $1 million sculpture captures a defining moment from Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, when he defiantly pumped his fist into the air after narrowly surviving an assassination attempt.
The towering statue, forged by Cottrill in Zanesville, Ohio, weighs an impressive six tons and is the product of several weeks of intense work. Commissioned just one week after the shooting incident, the statue has been created as a tribute to Trump and his supporters. The artwork will soon embark on a nationwide tour before eventually being displayed at a future Trump presidential library.
Cottrill’s sculpture is part of a growing trend of presidential statues, although it is notably unique in that it was created during Trump’s lifetime. While many other statues of U.S. presidents have been commissioned posthumously to commemorate their legacies, “Don Colossus” aims to honor Trump in the present.
The statue is a project funded by a group of wealthy cryptocurrency investors, who hope the tribute will resonate with the president, an advocate for their industry. “We believe President Trump is not only a great leader but also a friend of the cryptocurrency community,” said one of the investors involved in the commissioning.
The unveiling of “Don Colossus” took place on the evening of January 18 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., just ahead of the “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” scheduled for January 19. The rally, which will feature performances by Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus, and others, is expected to draw thousands of Trump supporters from across the country.
In addition to the statue’s artistic significance, it has already sparked mixed reactions online, with some expressing excitement over the monument’s unveiling. One fan commented, “There is no man in the world who rightly deserves this, and more, than President Donald J. Trump.” Another added, “Trump, greatest President in history. Praise Christ.”
While the “Don Colossus” statue will continue its national tour, it is ultimately expected to find a permanent home at Trump’s future presidential library, a fitting place for this larger-than-life tribute to the 45th/47th president of the United States.
Trump will be inaugurated on January 20th.
