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Trump CPAC statue likened to Moses' 'golden calf' in Bible, Internet says 'thou shalt not worship false idols'

'The biblical irony here is so thick I could swim in it,' said a user

A gold statue of former President Donald J Trump is turning heads as it's being wheeled around at the venue of the Conservative Political Action Conference, which kicks off in Orlando, Florida on February 25. While the exact origins of the sculpture are unknown, it is safe to assume that it was built for the conference. The statue is seen sporting star-spangled beach shorts, flip flops, and the former president's trademark red tie.

It's worth noting that the CPAC is the largest right-wing conference in the country, and attracts Republicans as well as moderates from across the country. For decades, the annual conference has featured speeches, panels, talks, parties, and appearances by Trump himself in previous years.

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Bloomberg reporter William Turton took to social media on Friday and shared a video of the statue being trolleyed around at the CPAC venue. Footage shared by Turton showed onlookers reacting in awe of the statue, which went on to garner considerable social media attention too.

However, liberals and Trump critics online did not take the spectacle too well. Many claimed it was strange for a demographic of people that leaned towards Christianity to not acknowledge parallels between the gold statue and one of the Ten Commandments, which is "thou shalt not worship false idols."

According to Indy100, there are several references in the Bible that equate golden idols to false idols. "One was the golden calf, which was seen as an affront to God. The other was a statue of a King, which was ninety feet high and which was also condemned in the Bible," per the outlet. Meanwhile, some stressed that it wasn't a metaphor but a literal golden statue of the 45th POTUS. "The biblical irony here is so thick I could swim in it," said a user.

Trump is expected to make waves at CPAC 2021, where his allies are hoping he will directly criticize President Joe Biden and announce another presidential run in 2024.

Earlier this week, a question on whether the former president should speak at the annual conservative conference Sunday highlighted the cracks and divisions within the Republican camp. Reporters asked on Wednesday (February 24) whether Trump should be allowed to speak following the Capitol riots on January 6. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy responded simply: "Yes, he should." However, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney had a different opinion.

Cheney, who earlier garnered mixed opinions on social media after voting to impeach Trump, contradicted McCarthy's response. "That's up to CPAC," she said. "I've been clear in my views about President Trump and the extent to which following January 6 I don't believe he should be playing a role in the future of the party or the country."

The press conference ended abruptly with McCarthy saying: "On that high note, thank you very much." This was followed by laughter that erupted in the room. 

Last month, the Republican Party Central Committee of Carbon County in Wyoming voted unanimously to censure Cheney, saying her decision to back Trump’s impeachment did not reflect her constituents’ wishes and demanded that she explain her position before the committee.