STORY: A sculpture titled ‘Dictator Approved’ appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. this week, days after U.S. President Donald Trump’s military parade.

The 8-foot-tall (2.4 m) sculpture shows a gold-painted hand giving a thumbs up while crushing the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Various quotes from world leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un can also be seen on gold plaques around the column of the sculpture.

“A great statement of protest against, kind of, what’s taking place in our country at the moment,” tourist Richard Viola told Reuters on Friday (June 20).

“It’s just shocking,” said tourist Deziree Harmon. “Kind of disappointing, too, that this is the sort of conversation we’re having today about our President.”

Local media reported that the artwork is scheduled to be on the National Mall until Sunday (June 22), according to a National Park Service permit. It is also unclear who is the artist behind the sculpture.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JUNE 20, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. STATUE TITLED ‘DICTATOR APPROVED’ ON THE NATIONAL MALL WITH U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND

2. CLOSE-UP OF ‘DICTATOR APPROVED’ ON COLUMN OF SCULPTURE / PAN TO SCULPTURE SHOWING THE GOLDEN HAND GIVING A 'THUMBS UP' ATOP THE CROWN OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

3. PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS OF SCULPTURE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST, RICHARD VIOLA, SAYING:

“A great statement of protest against kind of what’s taking place in our country at the moment. And uh, this location gives it a lot of context of the Capitol, the White House not far away, and really kind of…We’re in the center of things here and this is a great place to make this statement.”

5. STATUE / U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND

6. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS OF STATUE

7. (SOUNDBITE)(English) TOURIST, DEZIREE HARMON, SAYING:

“Comparing Trump to these other people - (Jair) Bolsonaro and (Vladimir) Putin, Kim Jong Un…and I think, I’d be curious to hear what other people around are thinking about it when they take photos and what they say when they send it to their families. But yeah, it’s just shocking…yeah shocking to see, shocking to come back to. And yeah, kind of disappointing, too, that this is the sort of conversation we’re having today about our President.”

8. GOLDEN PLAQUE ON STATUE READING (English): “President Trump ‘is a very bright and talented man.’ - Vladimir Putin”

9. GOLDEN PLAQUE ON STATUE READING (English): “Your Excellency, A ‘special’ relationship. ‘The extraordinary courage of President Trump.’ - Kim Jong Un”

10. GOLDEN PLAQUE ON STATUE READING (English): “The most respected , the most feared person is Donald Trump. - Viktor Orban’”

11. GOLDEN PLAQUE ON STATUE READING (English): “We do have a great deal of shared values. I admire President Donald Trump. - Jair Bolsonaro”

12. (SOUNDBITE)(English)TOURIST, JEFF JACKSON, SAYING:

“The big Donald fist right on America. It’s bad. This is what he wants for America? This ain’t great. Nothing great about this.”

13. CLOSE-UP OF STATUE

14. PAN FROM U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING TO STATUE