Naked Donald Trump statue near Las Vegas branded 'deplorable'

A statue depicting a naked Donald Trump has been branded "deplorable" by Republicans after it was put on display near Las Vegas.

The 43ft-tall effigy of the former US president in the nude was displayed on a plot of land off a highway in Nevada.

It's unclear who is behind the sculpture, with the Nevada Republican Party saying it "strongly condemns the deplorable statue".

"While families drive through Las Vegas, they are forced to view this offensive marionette, designed intentionally for shock value rather than meaningful dialogue," it added.

"President Trump and Republicans are focused on delivering results that matter - reducing inflation, securing our borders, creating jobs, and ensuring a brighter future for all Americans.

"While Democrats, especially Kamala Harris, continue to prioritize shock value over substance."

A spokesperson for the anonymous artist behind the work said the installation is called Crooked and Obscene.

They told local TV station KSNV the statue is "43ft tall, 10ft wide… weighs 6,000lbs, and is made of foam over rebar," adding that it intended to "ignite conversations".

The statue was due to be removed by Monday night and will be moved to "key swing states," the spokesperson added.

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Nevada has voted Democrat in the last four presidential elections, but only narrowly - in 2020, Joe Biden won the state with 50.1% of the vote, compared to Mr Trump's 47.7%.

The latest controversial depiction of Mr Trump comes after a blimp depicting him as a baby flew above London's Parliament Square during protests over the then president's state visit to the UK in 2019.

A majority of voters blame "extreme political rhetoric" from some politicians and media figures for contributing to the apparent attempt on Mr Trump's life in Florida last month, according to a poll by Sky's US partner network NBC News.

Ryan Routh has pleaded not guilty to trying to assassinate the Republican presidential candidate, who also survived an attempt on his life in a separate incident in Pennsylvania in July.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump's choice for vice president JD Vance will go head-to-head with Democrat nominee Tim Walz in a TV debate at 9pm (2am in the UK).

(c) Sky News 2024: Naked Donald Trump statue near Las Vegas branded 'deplorable'