MAGA Evangelical Leaders Under Fire For Leading Prayer Ritual Over Gold Trump Statue at Doral
A towering gold statue of Donald Trump surrounded by praying pastors, cheering supporters and waving American flags has ignited one of the most bizarre political spectacles of the year.
The massive monument, unveiled at Trump National Doral Miami this week, quickly became the centre of an online firestorm after evangelical leaders gathered around it in a prayer ceremony that critics compared to idol worship. Supporters called it patriotic. Opponents called it cult-like. Either way, the dramatic scene has once again shown how deeply religion and Trump politics have become intertwined inside the MAGA movement.
Pastors Gather Around Giant Trump Statue
The controversy erupted after evangelical leaders assembled at Trump National Doral Miami for the unveiling of a giant gold-leafed Donald Trump statue known as ‘Don Colossus’.
The statue stands roughly 22 feet tall on top of a seven-foot pedestal surrounded by palm trees at the Florida golf resort owned by Trump. It depicts the president with his fist raised in the air, recreating the moment after the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Videos shared online showed pastors placing their hands toward the statue while praying as supporters applauded nearby.
The dedication ceremony was led by evangelical pastor Mark Burns, one of Trump’s closest religious allies. Burns has repeatedly claimed Trump is protected by God and framed the monument as a patriotic tribute rather than a religious object.
Trump reportedly joined the gathering by phone to thank guests and supporters attending the event.
Just two days later, another blessing ceremony reportedly took place at Mar-a-Lago, further fuelling attention around the statue and the growing MAGA evangelical movement surrounding Trump.
Idol Worship Claims
Critics flooded social media with comparisons between the gold statue and the ‘golden calf’ story from the Bible, where idol worship enraged Moses after he received the Ten Commandments. Burns quickly responded to those accusations.
‘Let me say this plainly: this is not a golden calf,’ he wrote online after the ceremony. ‘This statue is not about worship. It is about honour.’ The pastor insisted the monument symbolised resilience, freedom, courage and patriotism rather than religious devotion.
Today at Trump National Doral Miami, we witnessed an unforgettable moment with the dedication of the 22-foot statue honoring President Donald J. Trump.
Let me be clear: this is not a golden calf. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone.
This statue is a celebration of… pic.twitter.com/tKZJL0eEfY
— Pastor Mark Burns (@pastormarkburns) May 7, 2026
But criticism only intensified after more images emerged showing evangelical figures praying around the statue. On Friday, Burns again defended the gathering, saying people were unfairly twisting the event into something religious.
‘We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone,’ he wrote. ‘Honour is not worship. Respect is not idolatry.’
Despite those statements, opponents argued the imagery surrounding the ceremony looked deeply uncomfortable, especially given Trump’s already intense following among parts of the evangelical movement.
The ‘Don Colossus’ Statue
The enormous sculpture was reportedly financed by cryptocurrency investors connected to the $PATRIOT memecoin project and created by sculptor Alan Cottrill.
Cottrill said the project had faced months of uncertainty because final payments were delayed before he was finally paid in full shortly before installation.
The statue reportedly cost around £360,000 ($450,000) to complete. According to Cottrill, the gold finish was enthusiastically embraced by Trump allies because it matched the president’s famously lavish style.
Although the monument has become a viral sensation online, Cottrill revealed he was not invited to attend the dedication ceremony itself.
The statue’s dramatic design appears carefully crafted to reinforce Trump’s image among supporters as a political survivor and fighter. The raised fist pose directly references the aftermath of the assassination attempt that left Trump with an ear injury during the 2024 campaign.
White evangelical voters remain one of Trump’s strongest political groups, and several prominent pastors have openly described him as chosen or protected by God.
Some supporters even believe Trump surviving multiple assassination threats was evidence of divine intervention. Burns reinforced that idea after the ceremony, writing that the statue ‘reminds us of the hand of God over President Trump’s life’.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
