MAGA evangelical leaders pray over massive gold statue of Donald Trump in Florida

MAGA evangelical leaders alongside Jews gathered this week at Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Doral Miami to bless and dedicate a towering gold statue honoring President Donald Trump.

The 22-foot gold-leafed monument, dubbed “Don Colossus,” shows Trump with his fist raised in the exact gesture he made after surviving the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The sculpture sits atop a seven-foot pedestal surrounded by palm trees on Trump property in South Florida.

Evangelical pastor Mark Burns, one of Trump’s closest religious allies, led the dedication ceremony. Burns, who has repeatedly described Trump as protected by God, told the crowd the statue was “not a golden calf” but rather “a symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, strength, and the willpower to keep fighting for the future of America.”

Attendees prayed directly over the monument while supporters applauded at its base. Videos and photos shared by Burns and others show faith leaders performing religious rites in front of the golden effigy. Trump reportedly called into the event to thank Burns and the gathered guests.

The same ceremony was repeated on Friday at Mar-a-Lago.

The statue was commissioned by crypto investors linked to the $PATRIOT memecoin project and sculpted by artist Alan Cottrill at a reported cost of about $450,000.

The public display highlights the deepening fusion of evangelical worship with political veneration of Trump inside the MAGA movement. White evangelical voters remain among his strongest supporters, and several influential pastors and Christian nationalist figures have framed him as divinely chosen or protected.

Burns rejected idolatry comparisons outright. “We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone,” he stated. “This statue is a celebration of life.”