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Trump's golden CPAC statue was made in China and NOT Mexico, Internet says 'that's even more hilarious'

'The golden statue of Trump at CPAC was made in China? Somehow that seems appropriate,' a person on Twitter noted

Twitter has been in splits since discovering that the golden statue of former president Donald Trump featured during February 25-February 28 at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC 2021) was made in China and not Mexico as claimed by the artist. Social media users have sent the shining six-foot giant metal object trending on Twitter after the artist admitted it was manufactured in China. 

Tommy Zegan, the artist of the $100,000 statue that stood tall at CPAC, admitted that it was manufactured at the Shijiazhuang D & Z Sculpture Co. factory in China's Hebei province. Many Twitter users have pointed out that this is ironic if not straight-up hilarious given Trump's record of making his distrust for China known.

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Politico's Playbook had reported that Zegan, who lives in Mexico as an American expat had originally said that he handcrafted the painted fiberglass statue in Rosarito, Mexico. But one of his business partners, Jose Mauricio Mendoza, recently approached the outlet to call out Zegan. "Everything was made in China," Mendoza reportedly said, adding, "I want to be straight because if I'm going to sell these statues, they have to be true." 

Mendoza also claimed that the 200-pound statue was his brainchild. "I was the architect of this," he reportedly said. He added that Zegan's name was used because "no one is going to buy "Jose" stuff, at least not a Donald Trump statue."

According to reports, Mendoza said that the duo went to China to get the statue done because it was cheaper than producing it in the US and would have been bad for business. “It’s never been to Mexico, no statues of ours have ever been to Mexico,” he said, adding that the original story behind the statue was a "ploy". "It was just a concept we came up with together, with Tom [Zegan]," who had "had gone with another partner of mine to China to make a big Trump statue, which they did," he said. 

Zegan later admitted Mendoza's claims about the statue's Chinese origins were true. A statement on the company’s website appears to confirm that it can “design, manufacture and supply bronze statues, stone sculptures, stainless steel sculptures and fibreglass or resin sculptures all across the world for interior or outdoor decor.”

“We weren’t designers, all we did were put a wand on one hand,” he added and admitted that Zegan “doesn't have any paintings or any sculptures, or anything like that, it's more of a business than anything else." Adding that the claim that the statue came from Mexico was "basically fabricated," Mendoza said, "If somebody says 'why would he do it?', well, I think that you don't want to have a Trump statue at the CPAC and say 'yeah it was made in China'".

“He [Mr Zegan] lived in Mexico, it just felt better using Mexico because it's our neighbour. China is not our neighbour, and besides, I’m his [Donald Trump’s] fan", he said and admitted that China "makes quality stuff as well". "If we sell [Trump] statues and all of a sudden they [customers] found out they are made in China, they can use that excuse to want their money back because you falsely mislead someone."

Comparing the costs, Mendoza said, "We can make four Trump statues for the price of one, in China." 

'Seems appropriate'

On Twitter, people are having a field day. Many are pointing out the ironic origin of the statue especially since Trump was known to blast Mexico in his presidential announcement speech for sending 'rapists' over the border and referring to the coronavirus as the 'China virus' time and again during his last year in the White House and in fact, even as early as just after his CPAC speech.

"That golden Trump statue being made in China makes it even funnier and more ironic," a user tweeted. "I didn't think it could get funnier than the guy saying he plans to sell one for $10,000,000...but here we are. It's funnier!" another user responded. "The golden statue of Trump at CPAC was made in China? Somehow that seems appropriate," another user noted. More chimed in to say, "The trump statue at cpac that everyone said was from Mexico was actually made in china. That is so ironic. Laughing so hard I can't breathe."

Calling out Trump's supporters, a user tweeted, "TO ALL YOU STUPID TRUMPERS OUT THERE...HAHAHA..THE STUPID GOLDEN STATUE OF THE ASSHOLE TRUMP WAS MADE WHERE?...HAHAHAHAHAHA...FUCKING CHINA...FUCKING CHINA..YOU KNOW..THE COUNTRY YOU ALL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH...AND YOU FOLLOW THIS ASSHOLE..YOU PEOPLE ARE FUCKING STUPID!!! Another stated: "This story of the golden Trump statue being made in China and designed by Mexican artist and being touted as all done by some kind of American guy is pretty much on brand for the diversity hating Republicans."