Pastor Mark Burns, who led the dedication, defended the tribute after critics compared it to the biblical golden calf. In a lengthy May 8 post he argued the comparison is unfair, insisted his worship is of Jesus alone, and said honoring a public figure isn’t the same as idolatry. Burns also likened the statue to honors given to sports legends.
On May 15, following a summit with China’s president, Trump praised the supporters who funded the statue and wrote that it could become a landmark. The installation comes as Doral hosts political events and other locations and projects have been reported to carry Trump’s name in recent years.