A towering golden statue of Donald Trump holding a Bitcoin appeared outside the US Capitol on Wednesday, drawing attention from tourists, crypto fans, and political observers alike.
Key Takeaways
- A 12-foot golden statue of Trump holding a Bitcoin was unveiled near the US Capitol by memecoin creators from the platform Pump.fun.
- Organizers called the statue a tribute to Trump’s support for Bitcoin and decentralized finance, coinciding with a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.
- A Trump-themed memecoin was launched during a livestream, drawing thousands of viewers on social media.
- The statue joins a string of politically charged installations on the National Mall, but is the first notable one in support of Trump this year.
What Happened?
On September 17, a group of crypto investors and memecoin enthusiasts installed a 12-foot foam statue of Donald Trump clutching a large Bitcoin on 3rd Street, across from Capitol Hill. The bold display, created and unveiled by the Pump.fun community, was livestreamed to crypto audiences and quickly went viral online. Organizers described it as a celebration of Trump’s crypto-friendly stance and the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to cut interest rates.
Tribute to our savior. pic.twitter.com/I03fRJnmDq
— Donald J. Trump Golden Statue (@djtgst) September 17, 2025
A Crypto Statement on the National Mall
The installation, placed just off Union Square on the iconic National Mall, was positioned near the heart of American political power. Pump.fun, a platform known for launching meme tokens, coordinated the event through a series of social media teasers and livestreams.
Hichem Zaghdoudi, one of the few publicly named organizers, told ABC7 News the statue was designed to spark conversation about the future of government-issued currency and the rising influence of cryptocurrency.
“This is a statement, this is to show everybody that without the president, we could never have had this mass adoption of Bitcoin, of cryptocurrencies, of all these big institutions buying Bitcoin,” Zaghdoudi said in an interview with DC News Now.
The statue, made of hard foam to simplify transport, was created over several days and showed Trump holding a Bitcoin in one hand. Posts on social media show machines carving the statue’s head and teams moving it into place.
Bringing the heat irl 👀#DJTGST pic.twitter.com/KQ0Cwe1kdp
— Donald J. Trump Golden Statue (@djtgst) September 15, 2025
The display coincided with the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates by 25 basis points, the first cut of the year. Organizers said this timing was intentional, referencing Trump’s long-standing push for looser monetary policy as president.
Trump’s Crypto Connections
During his presidency, Trump frequently pressured the Fed to lower rates, criticizing Fed Chair Jerome Powell for resisting. While in office, the Trump family also expanded their financial interests in digital currency, leading to ongoing scrutiny over possible conflicts of interest.
Trump’s embrace of crypto has only grown in his 2024 campaign. The crypto industry has funneled significant financial support into his re-election bid, viewing him as a deregulatory ally. Organizers credited Trump for laying the groundwork for Bitcoin’s institutional adoption.
Still, others argue the Bitcoin bull market was largely catalyzed under the Biden administration, particularly due to the SEC’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs and expanded institutional access to crypto markets.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
In my experience covering crypto, few stunts manage to blend blockchain hype, political symbolism, and internet culture as effectively as this one. The statue is more than just a viral moment. It reflects how deeply intertwined crypto has become with American politics, especially in a heated election year. I found the timing clever, using the Fed rate cut as a backdrop to promote a Trump-aligned crypto narrative. Whether you love or hate it, the statue succeeded in its goal: getting people talking about the future of money and who gets to shape it.
