It started as a satirical stab at President Trump as he arrived in London for a 2018 visit. Now the “Trump baby blimp” has secured a place in history, finding a home at one of the city’s most popular museums.
The 20-foot balloon, depicting a luxuriously coiffed, cellphone wielding, infantilized president, captured the spirit of protests that roiled the country, making a fitting addition to the museum’s collection, said director Sharon Ament.
“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,” she said.
The idea for the balloon was hatched in a pub, based on comments by satirist Jon Stewart, who called Trump a “man-baby.” It made its debut at protests in 2018 after a crowdfunding campaign.
It returned for Trump’s state visit a year later and then went on tour, being flown in Argentina, Denmark, Ireland, and across the United States.
Nigel Farage, a British ally of Trump, dismissed it as “the biggest insult” to a sitting president in history.
And it riled the president himself. “I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London,” he told the Sun newspaper before his 2018 visit.
It will now be added to the museum’s protest collection, which includes items dating back to the suffragette movement.
The team behind the blimp said one part of the story had ended with Trump leaving office this week. But they hoped their creation would continue to serve as inspiration for protest movements.
“We hope the baby’s place in the museum will stand as a reminder of when London stood against Trump — but will prompt those who see it to examine how they can continue the fight against the politics of hate,” the team said in a statement.
“Most of all, we hope the Trump baby serves as a reminder of the politics of resistance that took place during Trump’s time in office.”
