Verdict: True. Photographs circulating online in early October 2026 genuinely show a gold-covered sculpture depicting U.S. President Donald Trump naked at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. The sculpture was created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, and both the artist and a European Parliament press service spokesperson confirmed that it was displayed at the institution.

What do the photographs show?

The images show a large sculpture depicting Trump naked, sitting on the shoulders of another man and holding an oversized golf club. The artwork is titled The Orange Plague and is also referred to as King of Injustice in some online posts.

According to Snopes, the sculpture is approximately 2.6 metres tall and is made of copper covered with 23-carat gold leaf, according to the artist. This is a physical sculpture, not a digitally generated image or a photograph manipulated to insert Trump into a fictional exhibition.

Snopes compared the circulating photographs with images published by Galschiøt and the Reuters news agency. The images matched, and Snopes reported finding no signs that the photographs circulating online had been digitally altered or artificially created.

Was the sculpture really displayed at the European Parliament?

Yes. Snopes reported that a spokesperson for the European Parliament's press service confirmed by email on October 7, 2026, that the sculpture was on display at the Parliament's Winston Churchill building in Strasbourg at the time of the inquiry.

Galschiøt also confirmed the exhibition. He told Snopes that he had approached Danish politician and Member of the European Parliament Per Clausen about displaying the work. A spokesperson for Clausen confirmed that the politician had sponsored the exhibition and said they had discussed displaying the sculpture for a couple of years.

The Parliament's press service explained that members of the European Parliament can sponsor cultural events and exhibitions, subject to institutional rules and advance approval. This establishes that the artwork was exhibited in a Parliament building, but it does not mean that the institution commissioned the sculpture or officially endorsed its political message.

Why was Trump depicted this way?

On his website, Galschiøt describes The Orange Plague as a satirical protest concerning Trump, environmental policy and the international rules-based order. The naked figure draws on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Emperor's New Clothes, in which an emperor's apparent grandeur is exposed as an illusion when people acknowledge that he is naked.

The artist uses the gold covering to contrast outward displays of wealth and power with the vulnerability he believes they conceal. The sculpture is a political and artistic statement, not a literal representation of Trump or an official portrait.

Conclusion

The central claim is supported by the available evidence. The photographs show a real sculpture, and reporting by Snopes, images published by the artist and Reuters, and confirmation from the European Parliament's press service support the conclusion that it was displayed in Strasbourg in early October 2026.

The important distinction is that an exhibition at the European Parliament does not automatically mean the institution commissioned or endorsed the artwork. The evidence indicates that the exhibition was sponsored by an individual member of the European Parliament.

Sources:

• Snopes: Do photos show gold statue of naked Trump at European Parliament?
• Snopes: Uncovering the truth behind 16 Trump statue and sculpture claims
• Jens Galschiøt's official website