Pastor Mark Burns, a televangelist and ally of President Donald Trump, pushed back twice within days against comparisons of a newly unveiled golden statue of Trump to a biblical idol, insisting the effigy was an act of honor, not worship.
The 22-foot bronze figure, covered in gold leaf, depicts Trump raising his fist in the gesture he made after surviving an assassination attempt in 2024. Titled “Don Colossus,” the statue was unveiled Wednesday at Trump National Doral, the president’s golf course in Miami, Florida, Barron’s reported.
Burns, who led the dedication ceremony, posted on X the same night: “Let me say this plainly: this is not a golden calf.”
The golden calf is an idol described in the Old Testament’s book of Exodus, whose construction by the Israelites enraged Moses upon his return from receiving the Ten Commandments. Idol worship is expressly forbidden under the Commandments.
“This statue is not about worship. It is about honor,” Burns wrote. “It is a celebration of life and a powerful symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, courage, and the will to keep fighting for America.”
When that statement drew continued skepticism, Burns followed up 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,” he wrote. “Let me be very clear. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. Honor is not worship. Respect is not idolatry.”
He quoted Romans 13:7, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”
“Bowing down and worshipping an idol is sinful,” he added.
Burns also wrote that the statue “reminds us of the hand of God over President Trump’s life,” and thanked God for “preserving him and not allowing his life to be taken, not once, but multiple times,” referring to the June 2024 shooting in which Trump sustained an ear injury and to other foiled assassination attempts.
Some of Trump’s supporters regard his survival of those attempts as evidence of divine intervention.
The statue was financed by cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and Trump supporters, with Burns citing more than 6,000 contributors, according to AFP.
Its fate had been in doubt for months while sculptor Alan Cottrill awaited final payment. Cottrill told Barron’s that he received full payment two weeks before the unveiling and installed the statue in Florida the following day. He added that he was not invited to the dedication ceremony.
The statue stands on a pedestal in a clearing of palm trees at the Doral property, according to The Independent.
At the dedication, a phone message from Trump was played in which the president thanked the organizers and praised Burns as a good pastor who had been with him “from the beginning.”
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