A bronze statue depicting former First Lady Melania Trump has been reported stolen in Slovenia, her native country. This incident follows a previous act of vandalism where another statue of Ms. Trump was burned.

Police Investigation Underway

Local authorities are actively investigating the disappearance. The incident was reported on tuesday. Police immediately went to the scene and an investigation was opened, a police spokesperson told AFP on Thursday, confirming the launch of a search for the perpetrator.

The Statue’s Importance

The life-size statue, unveiled in 2020, stood on a tree trunk in a private field near Sevnica, the eastern Slovenian town where Melania Trump spent her childhood. It depicted her with a raised hand, mirroring the pose she and then-President Donald Trump struck during his 2017 inauguration.

Artist’s Intent and Reaction

American conceptual artist Brad Downey created the statue as a form of non-monument, counter-propaganda. His intention was to critique the policies of the Trump administration, highlighting the fact that Melania Trump, born Melania Knavs in the former Yugoslavia, is herself an immigrant.

Downey expressed his disappointment at the statue’s disappearance, noting the effort required to remove it. I have the feeling that it has a report with the return of the billionaire in power, but who knows? he told AFP, alluding to a possible political motive. The statue was firmly secured to the tree trunk with concrete and iron bars, indicating that the thieves had to cut it off at the ankles.

Previous Vandalism

This is not the first time a statue of Melania Trump in Slovenia has been targeted. In July 2020,a wooden statue representing her in a sky-blue dress was burned to ashes. The roughly carved statue, often compared to a scarecrow, gained international attention for its unusual appearance.

Sevnica’s Relationship with Melania Trump

Despite her connection to the town, Melania Trump, 55, has never visited Sevnica since becoming First Lady. The town is located approximately 90 kilometers from Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital.

Melania Trump left Slovenia, a country of about 2 million people, before the fall of communism. She pursued a modeling career in New York City in the 1990s. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006 and is Donald Trump’s third wife. They have one son, Barron, who speaks Slovenian.

Local Sentiment

While Donald Trump’s first presidential term initially generated excitement and economic opportunities in Sevnica, the current sentiment is more subdued. The trade war initiated by Washington against the European Union has led to indifference and even hostility among some residents.