Baby Trump balloons heading to US after protests in Britain depict US president as angry orange infant

Organisers inspired by 'patriotic actions of our friends in the UK'

Tom Embury-Dennis
Wednesday 18 July 2018 12:05 BST
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Baby Trump blimp takes to the skies on day two of US president state visit

“Baby Trump” balloons are heading to the US after protesters in London launched a giant inflatable depicting Donald Trump as an angry orange infant in a nappy.

Inspired by “the patriotic actions of our friends in the UK”, activists said they were buying a number of blimps that will be launched at locations across America.

Jim Girvan, organiser for campaign group People’s Motorcade, said they had permission to copy the design of the original balloon, which showed Mr Trump as a baby holding a mobile phone.

Their GoFundMe campaign had raised so much money – more than $23,000 (£17,640) as of Thursday – that organisers said they would be halting donations.

“We are indebted to your patriotism and will continue to fight for our democracy and the American values that make us great!” the organisers said on their fundraising page.

It continued: “We are dedicated to pushing back against Donald Trump and his administration's assault on our democracy and the American values we hold so dear.”

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Mr Girvan told CNN they plan to fly one of the balloons near the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where Mr Trump has spent a number of weekends since his election win.

"We're comfortable that we're going to have the opportunity to fly the balloon in relatively close proximity to his golf club while he's here," Mr Girvan said.

It follows the now-infamous “Baby Trump” inflatable being raised in Parliament Square during protests against the president’s four-day visit to the UK.

The decision by London’s City Hall to allow the use of the balloon enraged supporters of Mr Trump, who branded it “embarrassing” and an “insult”.

Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader and a prominent Trump supporter, said: “This is the biggest insult to a sitting US president ever. Would this be happening if it was Obama? Makes London look ridiculous.”

Leo Murray, who was behind the initial project, said the president “really seems to hate it when people make fun of him. We want to make sure he knows that all of Britain is looking down on him and laughing at him”.

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