Golden calf? Onlookers bemused as Republicans wheel in gold Trump statue for CPAC

A life-size gold statue of ex-president Donald Trump clad in American flag shorts and red flip flops has appeared at the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference, raising eyebrows over its religious implications.

Photos of the apparent golden Trump idol being wheeled into the Florida hotel caught the eyes of thousands on social media on Friday. The statue arrived at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando ahead of CPAC, where Trump and an array of big-name conservatives are scheduled to speak over the weekend.

#CPAC #AmericaUncancelled pic.twitter.com/mVqBuF2blY

— William Turton (@WilliamTurton) February 26, 2021

The statue was seen being rolled through the hallways of the hotel, stopping for selfies with Trump fans – some of whom broke out in solo chants of “four more years.” It is not clear who commissioned it.

With many Trump fans and conservatives in general describing themselves as Christians, quite a few on social media raised an eyebrow at the religious ramifications of ‘worshiping’ golden idols, recalling the Old Testament Bible story about what happened the last time the Israelites worshiped a golden calf.

So I am an atheist, but wasn't there something in the Christian Bible about a golden calf and worship and if I am remembering it correctly it thoroughly pissed God off Big time ????????????

— Kodiak???? (@Sensei415) February 26, 2021

The story has the prophet Moses going up a mountain to receive the Ten Commandments – which start with having only one God – and by the time Moses comes back, the people have gotten so impatient waiting that they’ve melted down all their gold to craft a shiny new calf to worship. As a result, they were cursed with plague.

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Christians - including some among Trump's base - and even the less-than-devout were taken aback by what seemed to be a blatant religious insult.

They literally brought a golden calf to worship?!?

— Rob Anderson for Louisiana (@RobAnderson2018) February 26, 2021

We always knew these MAGAts and evangelicals were fake Christian heretics. They finally broke out the golden calf.

pic.twitter.com/cM6eQlqrXr

— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) February 26, 2021

You shall have no other Gods before me.

You shall not make idols.

— Andrew Goss ????USAF???? (@Goss30Goss) February 26, 2021

Others cracked jokes about the eventual fate of the “golden calf.”

Trump gold statue; In the bible Moses burnt the golden calf in a fire, ground it to powder, and then Don Jr. snorted it up.

— Buddy Winston (@BuddyWinston) February 26, 2021

#GoldenTrumpStatue At #CPAC Has Twitter Warning #IdolWorshippers

“Seriously, did these folks not read the Old Testament?”

"Golden calf not available?"

"They went with the Golden Ass instead"

"Probably has a tiny golden willy, too" https://t.co/AkbgnDkLjE

— Nguyen #fbpe #fbr (@haaohaoo) February 26, 2021

A few pointed out that life was actually imitating art.

The Book of Exodus describes God punishing the Israelites with a plague for making a gold calf. (The Second Commandment bans idolatry.)

Cartoonists used this to satire the cult of Trump.

Now, life has imitated art — but Christian nationalism is no joke: https://t.co/7V6M7NAYQL https://t.co/S9TATtduTF pic.twitter.com/aMyXMHRv1y

— Alex Howard (@digiphile) February 26, 2021

Trump is set to speak at CPAC on Sunday, in what will be his first public appearance since leaving office. It’s unclear whether his golden rendition will be on display for the occasion, or whether it will be destroyed and its creators forced to drink its ashes, as took place in the Bible story. Some media reports have claimed he plans to hint at a possible 2024 presidential bid.

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