A pastor’s celebration and defense of a gold statue of President Donald Trump erected at Trump National Doral golf course in Miami, Florida, drew plenty of online backlash, with some comparing it to a “golden calf” example of idol worship mentioned in the Bible.
“Straight cult shit. These people have been indoctrinated,” liberal influencer Harry Sisson wrote on X.
The statue, named “Don Colossus,” depicts Trump raising his fist in the air, similar to his gesture during the failed 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and was commissioned by a group of crypto investors.
ELI HILLER via Getty Images
Pastor Mark Burns led the dedication event for the statue on Wednesday and called it “a moment of gratitude, honor, and remembrance.”
He also denied, in multiple posts, any comparison of the dedication or statue to “a golden calf,” a biblical reference to idolatry.
“This statue is not about worship. It is about honor. It is a celebration of life and a powerful symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, courage, and the will to keep fighting for America,” Burns wrote on X. “It also reminds us of the hand of God over President Trump’s life. We thank God for preserving him and not allowing his life to be taken, not once, but multiple times.”
Regardless of the pastor’s repeated denials, users on X made the same comparison.
“Saying ‘this is not a golden calf’ as you put up a golden calf doesn’t cancel that fact out,” read one reply with tens of thousands of likes.
“My ‘not a golden calf’ statue has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my statue,” another user quipped.
“Waiting for Moses to come down with a couple tablets,” said “Law and Order: SVU” star Christopher Meloni.
Burns continued to defend the golden statue on Friday.
“What amazes me is how quickly some people have compared this beautiful statue, created and made possible by more than 6,000 patriots, to a golden calf or idol worship,” Burns said. “Let me be very clear. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. “
“This is absolutely idol worship,” said former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.)
“This is literally described in the bible as a sin,” sports and politics commentator Keith Olbermann wrote. “Maybe you could read it, ‘Pastor.’ It’s available in all popular bookstores.”
“Remember: in the Middle East, we’re fighting a regime of religious maniacs who blindly follow a Supreme Leader,” Zeteo’s Mehdi Hasan replied.