Mysterious 'Dictator Approved' sculpture on National Mall in DC references Trump

Natalie Demaree, The Charlotte Observer on Jun 17, 2025

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A sculpture portraying a large “thumbs up” gesture squashing the Statue of Liberty’s head appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., days after the military parade, according to reports.

Etched across the pedestal on which the statue sits are the words “Dictator Approved” in a large font, photos show. Four quotes — by Vladimir Putin, Jair Bolsonaro, Kim Jong Un and Viktor Orban — praising President Donald Trump appear in engraved plates on each side of the base.

Photos shared by Joe Flood on X, formerly known as Twitter, show the sculpture in front of the U.S. Capitol.

McClatchy News reached out to the National Park Service for more information on the sculpture June 17 but did not receive an immediate response.

The NPS told WDVM the sculpture has a permit but did not reveal the artist or group behind it.

“President Trump ‘is a very bright and talented man,’” a quote by Putin on the display read.

“We do have a great deal of shared values. I admire President Donald Trump,” another quote on the display read.

According to a permit text, the display was created to foreground the similarities of imagery featured in the June 14 military parade and imagery seen in “autocratic, oppressive regimes,” the Washingtonian reported.

The public’s response to the statue so far has been “pretty mixed,” a security guard told the outlet.

The display is in a similar location as an unusual sculpture that cropped up in October of a large poop pile on a desk, referencing attacks on the Capitol that happened Jan. 6, 2021.

The permit for that sculpture was filed by Civic Crafted LLC, but did not identify an artist on the display, Reuters reported.

The new sculpture will be on view until 5 p.m. June 22, according to WDVM.

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