Crowning the Autocrat: Trump’s Cult of Worship Grows
The White House calls him a king. Congress wants to carve him into stone. America is closer to authoritarianism than ever.
A disturbing trend has emerged in the last few weeks that should alarm anyone who still believes in democracy. A bill to make Donald Trump’s birthday a national holiday. A proposal to carve his face into Mount Rushmore. A personalized lapel pin featuring his own image. And now, a White House-endorsed image of Trump wearing a crown, captioned “LONG LIVE THE KING.”
This is not just political branding or self-promotion. It is something much darker: the construction of an American strongman, a leader elevated above the people, above democracy, and above accountability. Trump’s movement is shifting into a cult of personality, the kind that history warns against but that many Americans still refuse to believe is happening.
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The Cult of Monuments: Statues and Stone Idols
Every authoritarian movement understands that if a leader is to become larger than life, he must be carved into stone. Trump’s supporters are following this playbook, pushing for statues and monuments that will cement his place in American history.
In Ohio, a 15-foot bronze statue called "Don Colossus" shows Trump with a clenched fist. This statue was unveiled just before his inauguration and is scheduled for a "Victory Tour" across the country for up to two years. It is an unsettling echo of authoritarian leaders who used grand public displays to reinforce their power.
The “City of Presidents” project in Rapid City, South Dakota, is adding a Trump statue alongside Washington and Lincoln, even though no other modern president has been memorialized this quickly.
A group of lawmakers is attempting to add Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore despite the monument being considered historically complete and too fragile to support further work.
Trump’s own administration proposed a “National Garden of American Heroes” with 250 statues of American heroes. While Trump himself was not officially included, there is little doubt that his supporters would demand his likeness be added.
These efforts are not about preserving history. They are about creating a permanent symbol of power, a leader whose presence looms over the nation long after his time in office. This is not how democracies treat their leaders. It is how dictatorships entrench them.
Unprecedented in U.S. History
The United States has always honored its presidents, but never in this way. George Washington, the only president with a federal holiday, refused to be crowned king. Lincoln was revered after his assassination, but no one suggested adding his face to Mount Rushmore while still alive.
Trump, however, is being enshrined while he remains one of the most powerful figures in American politics. A federal holiday, a lapel pin of his own face, a statue tour, and now, White House-backed imagery depicting him as a king. These are not the symbols of a former president. They are the hallmarks of an autocrat.
The Cult of the Strongman
Authoritarian leaders do not just take power. They build myths around themselves, shaping their own legend so that the people begin to see them as inevitable, irreplaceable, and even divine.
Vladimir Putin uses Russian Orthodox imagery to frame himself as the protector of Christian civilization.
Kim Jong Un ensures his image is displayed in murals and statues across North Korea, where his rule is unquestioned.
Francisco Franco was portrayed as Spain’s divinely chosen leader, fusing nationalism with religious devotion.
Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler relied on public monuments, statues, and mass gatherings to cement their grip on power.
Trump’s movement is following the same path. The elevation of a leader beyond mere politics is how democracies start to erode. The longer it continues, the harder it becomes to turn back.
“Sent by God”
Perhaps the most unsettling piece of Trump’s cult of personality is the religious fervor surrounding him. Many evangelical leaders have said Trump was chosen by God to lead America. Some compare him to King Cyrus, a biblical figure who was divinely appointed despite being deeply flawed. Others further present him as the only thing standing between the country and total destruction.
Now, the White House itself is reinforcing this image. A crown on his head. A declaration of kingship. This is not satire. This is the government actively pushing the idea that Trump is a ruler above democracy itself.
The Road to Authoritarianism
This is not just about Trump. It is about what happens when a democracy stops treating its leaders as elected officials and starts treating them as kings, prophets, or gods. The fusion of religion, nationalism, and political power has been the downfall of democratic systems throughout history.
America is at a turning point. The boundary between democracy and authoritarianism is starting to disappear. If this trajectory continues, Trump will not just be a former president running for office. He will be a permanent figure in American life, enshrined in holidays, monuments, and the national consciousness as something greater than human.
The question is not whether this can happen in America but whether anyone will stop it.
Bibliography
Tenney, Claudia. "Congresswoman Tenney Moves to Make President Trump’s Birthday a Federal Holiday." Tenney House Government. https://tenney.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-tenney-moves-make-president-trumps-birthday-federal-holiday
Luna, Anna Paulina. "BREAKING: Rep. Luna Introduces Legislation to Carve President Trump on Mount Rushmore." Luna House Government. https://luna.house.gov/posts/breaking-rep-luna-introduces-legislation-to-carve-president-trump-on-mount-rushmore
Politico. "Trump and the King Imagery: White House Faces Backlash After Crown Photo Post." Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/19/donald-trump-king-imagery-021013
The Guardian. "‘We Are Not Ruled by a King’: White House Sparks Fury with Trump Crown Photo." The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/19/trump-backlash-social-media-king
Michigan’s Thumb. "Trump Mount Rushmore Bill Raises Questions of Historical Precedent." Michigan’s Thumb. https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/trump-mount-rushmore-bill-20063921.php
The Times UK. "Donald Trump Statue in Ohio Sparks Debate on Presidential Legacy." The Times. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/donald-trump-statue-ohio-bronze-9lhnv8qbm
The Art Newspaper. "Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes Plan Resurfaces in 2025." The Art Newspaper. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/01/30/president-trump-garden-american-heroes-executive-order
I literally just threw up!!!
The lunacy will continue unless we take to the streets in mass.