Donald Trump to install two giant golden statues of himself in presidential library and put Air Force One plane on display in hallway

George Bunn
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:36:44 +0000

US President Donald Trump is planning to build two giant gold statues of himself at his presidential library in Miami.

A bizarre AI video posted earlier this week showed a tower with a gold entryway and an escalator, an illuminated American flag, and the word "TRUMP" emblazoned near its top.

Mr Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the building housing the library will also "most likely" include a hotel, along with "a 747, Air Force One, in the lobby".

The 47th President added that construction will start after he leaves office.

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Eric Trump, the President's son, said: "This landmark on the water in Miami, Florida will stand as a lasting testament to an amazing man, an amazing developer, and the greatest President our Nation has ever known."

It comes as the Republican president is also pursuing an array of plans that would change the appearance of Washington, including adding a $400million ballroom to the White House, a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) triumphal arch and rebuilding the Kennedy Center performing arts complex.

However, some of President Trump's political opponents mocked the proposals, likening the statues to some of those found in countries run by dictators.

The press office of California Governor Gavin Newsom posted photos of Kim Il-Sung, the former leader of North Korea, Saparmurat Niyazov, the former dictator of Turkmenistan, and Mao Zedong, the former Chinese Communist Party chairman, comparing the statues to President Trump’s.

The tradition of US Presidents building libraries in their home state dates back to Herbert Hoover, who held office from 1929 to 1933.

President Trump's library is set to cost roughly the same amount to Barack Obama’s, which has cost $850million to date and is set to open in June in Chicago.

Initial forecasts estimated the cost of Mr Obama's building at $300million.

In September, former President Joe Biden confirmed he would be building his library in his home state of Delaware.

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Presidential libraries have been used to preserve documents, records and other historical materials of US presidents after they leave office.

They are part of a system administered by the National Archives and sometimes feature museum exhibitions related to the president.

AI-generated imagery is playing a growing role in US politics, with candidates contesting the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the next two years increasingly releasing "deepfake" videos that present misleading images of their rivals.

Republicans appear to be utilising the technology more frequently than Democrats, following the lead of President Trump's White House, which has released scores of AI-generated videos and gaming-inspired memes on social media, including clips that disparage protesters and hype up the Iran war.

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Trump, the latest in a series of buildings, institutions, government programmes, warships and money to bear the Republican President's name.

Mr Trump, a native of New York, moved to Florida in 2019. Before the move, he lived in a penthouse at Trump Tower but has since taken primary residence at his Mar-a-Lago resort in West Palm Beach.

Before the name can be changed, a formal request must be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration, which then must process the change in various flight charting and navigation databases, and the airport signs must be changed.

Last week, Representative Brian Mast introduced legislation to change the airport's three-letter code from PBI to DJT, denoting President Trump's initials.

In December, the board of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which Mr Trump filled with allies during a board takeover, added Trump's name to the institution.

President Trump's name was also added in December to the United States Institute of Peace building in Washington, months after his administration seized the nonprofit organisation and all but closed it.

Earlier this month, a federal arts panel comprised of members appointed by Trump approved a commemorative gold coin featuring his image, part of a series of coins the US Mint is planning to produce to celebrate America's 250th birthday this year.

In February, the White House confirmed Mr Trump raised the idea of dropping his hold on funding for a New York Hudson River tunnel project in exchange for Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer supporting the renaming of Washington Dulles Airport and New York Penn Station after the President.