Naked Donald Trump Statues Erected Across U.S.

Donald Trump statue
People photograph a naked statue of Donald Trump that was left in Union Square Park in New York City, on August 18, 2016. Nude statues of Trump were erected in five U.S. cities on Thursday. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Most people feel like they have got to know Donald Trump a little too well during the 2016 United States presidential campaign.

The Republican candidate has shared intimate views on why migrants should be subjected to "extreme vetting" when entering the U.S., put his wife Melania and children front and center at the Republican convention and even shared his impeccable medical history with the electorate.

Now, the world has seen Trump naked. Well, an artist's interpretation, at least.

Life-sized naked statues of the businessman-turned-presidential-candidate appeared on Thursday across the the U.S. in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Cleveland.

Donald Trump statue
People gather around a statue depicting republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the nude on August 18, in San Francisco, CA. Activist collective INDECLINE were behind the statues. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The installations are the work of INDECLINE, an activist collective. "It is through these sculptures that we leave behind the physical and metaphorical embodiment of the ghastly soul of one of America's most infamous and reviled politicians," the group said in a statement reported by the BBC.

Trump train passengers
Train passengers look at the nude statue of Trump in San Francisco, CA. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The statues, orange-tinted and providing a fair representation of Trump's famous golden locks, elicited a range of responses from passers-by—from adulation to eroticism to imitation.

Trump statue removed
New York City park authorities remove a naked statue of Trump that appeared in Union Square Park on August 18. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Trump campaign has made no public comment on the installations. The statue in New York was removed by the New York City Parks Department, which issued a tongue-in-cheek statement: "NYC Parks stands firmly against any unpermitted erection in city parks, no matter how small."

Trump foot
Only Trump's molded foot remained after New York City park authorities had removed the statue. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

It is unlikely that the Republican candidate will be very pleased with his depiction in the statues. While the old adage goes that there's no such thing as bad publicity, the statues appear to be missing a key body part, which is hinted to in the title given to the installation: "The Emperor Has No Balls."

Trump statue
The Trump statues, including this one in San Francisco, California, immediately drew crowds of curious onlookers. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Conor is a staff writer for Newsweek covering Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, security and conflict.

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