A new golden statue of President Trump was unveiled at one of his golf courses this week and, on Monday morning, the hosts of “The View” simply saw it as “small dictator energy.”
The statue was erected at Trump National Doral Miami, one of Trump’s many golf courses, and introduced by Pastor John Mark Burns, a spiritual adviser to the president. According to Burns, the statue is not an idol, nor does it depict Trump as a false god. In fact, “The View” co-host Ana Navarro is not even sure it is Trump.
“I actually don’t know who that statue [is] of, because it’s a skinny guy with a tight neck,” she quipped during Monday’s episode of the ABC talk show.
Navarro immediately noted that the president is free to do whatever he wants on his own properties — “he wants to put a giant penis in there, go ahead and do it,” she said — but argued that the golden statue is very much “tone deaf,” considering how much average American citizens are struggling in the current economy.
“And then, you know, it gives, like, wannabe dictator, small dictator energy,” Navarro added, noting that dictators including Kim Jong Un, Saddam Hussein, and Joseph Stalin all had statues of themselves erected.
At that, moderator Whoopi Goldberg reminded everyone that Trump has also instituted banners of his face hanging from major buildings in Washington D.C. Meanwhile, host Sunny Hostin called Trump “tacky.”
The statue has also faced backlash for its religious implications, with many comparing it to the story of the golden calf in the Book of Exodus. But, Pastor Burns immediately rejected that on social media.
“I’m not a biblical scholar, but I do think we know the story of the golden calf,” Alyssa Farah Griffin said. “If you have to say it’s not a golden calf, you’re probably going a little too close to idolatry.”
“The View” airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.
