Giant Trump Statue Remains Grounded in Ohio Studio Over Unpaid Crypto Commission
A monumental, gold-leafed statue of former US President Donald Trump currently lies on its back inside a sculpture studio in Zanesville, Ohio, its future clouded by uncertainty more than a year after completion. The massive 15-foot bronze sculpture, informally named “Don Colossus,” captures Trump raising his fist in a moment of defiance immediately following a survived assassination attempt in July 2024.
Unpaid Fees and Installation Delays
Designed to stand two storeys tall when mounted on its 6,000-pound base, the statue was commissioned for $360,000 by cryptocurrency entrepreneurs supporting Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. However, sculptor Alan Cottrill, 73, reveals he has not received full payment, leaving the project in limbo.
"I would be a fool to install it without the payment being made, and I am not a fool," Cottrill stated firmly, noting he is still owed approximately $92,000. This financial standoff has prevented the formal erection of the statue, transforming it into a symbol of the volatility plaguing cryptocurrency ventures and the fluid alliances within Trump's political and financial circles.
Crypto Controversies and Shifting Loyalties
Cottrill alleges that after his hiring, the project's backers secretly used images of the sculpture to promote their $PATRIOT cryptocurrency—a meme coin with no intrinsic value, reliant on speculation and online communities. Trump's deep connections to the crypto sector have sparked accusations of significant conflicts of interest, with Bloomberg News estimating the Trump family's wealth grew by $1.4 billion last year solely from digital assets.
The $PATRIOT coin launched in November 2024, gaining traction as Trump won the presidential election. Yet, its success was fleeting. Just days before Trump's January inauguration and the planned statue unveiling, he introduced his own cryptocurrency, $TRUMP. As $TRUMP's value soared, $PATRIOT's collapsed, now trading at over 95% less than its peak.
Backers and Broader Implications
Among $PATRIOT's supporters is Republican strategist Dustin Stockton, previously investigated by federal agents for his involvement in "We Build The Wall," a fundraising initiative that led to Trump adviser Steve Bannon pleading guilty to donor fraud. Stockton has not commented on the statue dispute.
At his studio, located about 300 miles west of Washington, Cottrill reflects proudly on his decades-long career, having sculpted at least 17 US presidents, including a Thomas Edison statue at the US Capitol. "When they said 15-feet tall, they were starting to get to the scale of my ego," he joked.
Artistic Challenges and Creative Disputes
The creation process involved one month for the life-sized figure and three additional months for enlargement, bronze casting, and meticulous hand-polishing by his team. "It’s just overpowering. It’s mammoth," Cottrill described.
However, the project faced artistic disagreements. Cottrill included Trump’s "turkey neck" for realism, but crypto backers requested a more flattering depiction. Trump’s hair posed another significant hurdle. "The hardest thing was sculpting his hair. Holy shmoly! Oi yoi yoi!" he exclaimed. "You can’t sculpt and cast something that is… wispy."
Future Prospects and Final Reflections
When asked about his experience with the cryptocurrency world, Cottrill was unequivocal: "The short answer is, I won’t do it again." Despite the delays, the statue may find a home at the Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, where Cottrill installed the base last month, though no unveiling date has been set.
This stalled sculpture not only highlights payment disputes but also mirrors the broader instability and ethical questions surrounding cryptocurrency investments and political endorsements in contemporary America.
