After a 22-foot gold-colored statue of Donald Trump was unveiled last week in Florida, some critics lambasted the monument as a golden calf and called the president’s supporters idol worshipers. In response, South Carolina Pastor Mark Burns wrote, “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 life.”
The bronze statue of Trump dubbed “Don Colossus” was dedicated last week at Trump National Doral Miami, one of the president’s Florida golf courses. It shows Trump holding his right fist in the air, defiant after a June 2024 assassination attempt.
The statue cost an estimated $450,000, with sculptor Alan Cottrill noting that adding gold leaf to the surface was “not a hard sell.” On Truth Social, Trump posted, “The Real Deal – GOLD.”
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
Pastor Mark Burns: Gold Donald Trump Statue Celebrates Life
Mark Burns, pastor of Harvest Praise & Worship Center in Easley, South Carolina, is a spiritual adviser to President Trump and an advocate of Christian nationalism. After the May 6 unveiling of “Don Colossus,” Burns wrote that he was “deeply honored to serve as President Trump’s main point of contact throughout this process.” The pastor thanked “the 6,000+ Patriots who donated, believed, sacrificed, and made this historic moment possible.”
Rather than being a “golden calf,” Burns emphasized, the statue is “a symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, strength, and the [willpower] to keep fighting for the future of America. It also stands as a reminder of the hand of God and His protection over President Trump’s life. Time and time again, when his life was threatened, God’s mercy prevailed.”
Two days later, Burns again posted about the statue. “What amazes me is how quickly some people have compared this…to a golden calf or idol worship,” he wrote on May 8. Quoting several Scriptures, he reiterated that Christians worship Jesus alone.
Burns continued:
Giving honor where honor is due is biblical. Bowing down and worshipping an idol is sinful. There is a major difference. This statue was not created for worship. It was created as a symbol of resilience, patriotism, courage, and gratitude. It was created to honor a man whom many may disagree with, but millions of Americans believe has done extraordinary things to make this nation stronger.
“People celebrate athletes, musicians, entertainers, and cultural icons [with statues] while they are still alive,” Burns noted. “Yet Christians were not screaming ‘golden calf’ over those moments.”
RELATED: You Can Now Buy a $45 Trump-as-Cyrus Coin
People can choose to “dislike” Trump, but they’re “in gross error if you think for one second that I worship this magnificent statue or anything made by human hands,” the pastor added. “My respect for a leader does not replace my reverence for the Lord.”
After a 22-foot gold-colored statue of Donald Trump was unveiled last week in Florida, some critics lambasted the monument as a golden calf and called the president’s supporters idol worshipers.Click to Post
