Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

'Dictator Approved' Protest Sculpture Remains on National Mall as White House Defends Free Expression

The White House has defended the artwork as protected speech under a permit extending to June 22

An anti-Trump art installation statue is seen in front of the U.S. Capitol on the National Mall on June 17, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Image
Image

Overview

  • Installed June 18 on the National Mall, the anonymous 'Dictator Approved' sculpture shows a gilded hand crushing the Statue of Liberty’s crown
  • Gold plaques on its pedestal quote Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán and Kim Jong Un praising President Trump
  • A permit cites its purpose as a critique of the June 14 military parade’s echoes of authoritarian pageantry
  • The installation stays through June 22 under a permit requirement for round-the-clock security
  • Public reactions have been mixed and the White House affirms the piece is a form of free expression