A giant orange balloon of Donald Trump in a baby nappy is to become part of the permanent collection at the Museum of London. Created in July 2018 as part of the mass protests against the visit to the UK by President Trump, it was one of the most eye-catching sights of the visit, and one that has since gone on tour around the world.

Photo by Dave Lowe on Unsplash

As an image, it’s the latest in a long line of very British satire poking fun at the great and good and reminding them, Memento Mori style that they are but ordinary people. William Hague once said in an interview about satire that the reason the UK could never fall into a fascist dictatorship is that the British public would just laugh at the pompous leadership.

And in recent years there have been fewer more obviously pompous politicians than Donald Trump.

The 6-metre tall blimp was designed by Matt Bonner and constructed by Imagine Inflatables of Leicester. It was made after a crowdfunding campaign raised the GB£16,000 cost of its creation and deployment. It depicts Trump as “an angry orange baby” with a snarling mouth, tiny hands, wearing a nappy, and holding a smartphone.

The balloon was flown over Parliament Square on 13th July 2018 during the mass protests there, following the granting of special permission from the authorities. It later travelled to a number of other countries where Donald Trump was also visiting.

Born in London, the Trump Baby blimp is now confirmed as coming home to London and has been acquired by the Museum of London.

Sharon Ament, Museum of London Director, said: “London has always been an open, ever-evolving polyglot city. A haven for knowledge, tradition and controversy and over thousands of years we have played host to many a historic protest.”

“By collecting the baby blimp we can mark the wave of feeling that washed over the city that day and capture a particular moment of resistance – a feeling still relevant today as we live through these exceptionally challenging times – that ultimately shows Londoners banding together in the face of extreme adversity.”

The Trump Baby will be conserved and potentially displayed in the museum’s future new home in West Smithfield in the coming years.

…maybe it will be inflated over the new Museum?

Photo by Ross Sneddon on Unsplash

The museum has been in touch with the owners of the Sadiq Khan balloon that was created in quick response.

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2 comments
  1. JP says:

    Such is the way of the world: all windbag politicians are eventually deflated and ultimately end up in a box.
    Plastique Bébé Trump’s box will presumably be on a dusty shelf in a storeroom rather than six feet under though.

  2. Andrew Gwilt says:

    Could see a Joe Biden baby blimp happening. If someone does make a baby blimp with Joe Biden. As he’s now 46th President of the USA. Just saying.

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