Authorities have reported that a bronze statue of Melania Trump was vandalized and stolen from her homeland in Slovenia. This statue replaced a wooden version that had previously stood in her hometown of Sevnica, which was destroyed in an arson attack near the end of Donald Trump’s first presidential term in 2020.
The original piece was carved from a Linden tree and depicted the First Lady in a pale blue dress reminiscent of the outfit she wore at Trump’s inauguration in 2016. Both the wooden and bronze statues were created as a joint effort between Kentucky artist Brad Downey and local craftsman Yales “Maki” Zupev.
The new bronze statue was positioned on the same stump as its predecessor, following similar designs. Downey mentioned back in July 2020 that the aim was to use “solid and durable materials” for the new statue.
On Tuesday, police began investigating the theft after a report of vandalism was filed. Slovenian police spokeswoman Allenka Drenik Rangas confirmed the ongoing investigation.
Franja Kranjc, who works at a bakery and names her cakes after Melania Trump, expressed her dislike for straightforward portrayals, saying, “I don’t think anyone was really proud of this statue. So I think it’s okay if it gets deleted.”
Zupev pointed out an interesting connection—he and Melania Trump were born in the same hospital—and he crafted the statue using a chainsaw, finishing it with power tools. The remains of the statue now reportedly consist only of the ankles.
A plaque near the old statue indicated that it was dedicated to the “eternal memory of the Melania monument that stood here.” Melania Trump, born in 1970 in the nearby town of Novo Mesto, grew up in Sevnica during a time when Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia. Today, Slovenia is a member of both the European Union and NATO.
