When President Trump arrives in the United Kingdom next week, he’ll be greeted by hundreds of bitter Brits—and a nearly 20-foot tall balloon of himself dressed in nothing but a diaper.
On Thursday, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, gave a group of protestors permission to fly the “Trump Baby” blimp 30 meters (or 98 feet) above the city. It will be tethered to the ground in the Parliament Square Gardens.
The Mayor reportedly wasn't on board with the idea at first, telling organizers the giant inflatable U.S. President wasn't a "legitimate protest." But he came around.
HUGE news coming in: DONALD J TRUMP BABY WILL FLY! @SadiqKhan tried to play hard ball - in the end he had to make a Deal. No surprise - he's never won anything in his life! Sad - but True! London here I come! https://t.co/j3KCPimHI2 pic.twitter.com/oc2VKWKSN1
— Trump Baby (@TrumpBabyUK) July 5, 2018
Mayor of London says 'Trump baby' protest blimp can fly https://t.co/hj5EBzA4o2? pic.twitter.com/RsAveZpIQQ
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 6, 2018
"The Mayor supports the right to peaceful protest and understands that this can take many different forms,” a spokesperson for the Mayor said. “His city operations team have met with the organizers and have given them permission to use Parliament Square Garden as a grounding point for the blimp.”
But they’re not clear to fly just yet.
“[T]he organizers will also need to receive the necessary approvals from the Metropolitan Police and National Air Traffic Service,” the spokesperson added. "Sadiq's main priority is the safety of all Londoners and visitors to our city, and as always we are working in very close coordination with the Metropolitan Police and other key agencies to ensure all protests are carried out safely and securely.”
If all goes as planned, the blimp will lift off the morning of Friday, July 13th, the same day Trump will meet with UK Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street, and will stay in the air for two hours. During that time, the "Stop Trump" march will also be taking place in central London.
Leo Murray, the man behind “Trump Baby,” explained on his crowdfunding page how he came up with the idea and why he thinks it’s necessary:
Donald Trump is a big, angry baby with a fragile ego.
He's also a racist demagogue who is a danger to women, immigrants and minorities and a mortal threat to world peace and the very future of life on earth. Moral outrage is water off a duck’s back to Trump, but he really seems to hate it when people make fun of him.
So when Trump visits the UK on Friday the 13th of July this year, we want to make sure he knows that all of Britain is looking down on him and laughing at him.
The campaign was able to raise almost £23,000 and received over 10,000 signatures. Max Wakefield, who is also working on the project, said the group’s initial fundraising goal was £1,000, but that was reached within the first day. The extra money will now be used to take “Trump Baby” on a "world tour” so it can “haunt” the U.S. President wherever he goes.
Wow! Tremendous win for #TrumpBaby supporters! This is BIG news that nobody saw happening - I am going on a World Tour! Wherever little Donald goes, I will be close behind. There is so much good to do, the world needs #TrumpBaby! https://t.co/aZXE1uREl0? pic.twitter.com/3rkd21GMhL
— Trump Baby (@TrumpBabyUK) June 27, 2018
Piers Morgan seems less than impressed with the stunt.
The Trump baby balloon is genius.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 6, 2018
a) It will definitely encourage the President not to be puerile or childish.
b) It will definitely encourage the President to give Britain a great new trade deal post-Brexit.
Well done everyone! pic.twitter.com/slVyzBoGsI
And former UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) leader Nigel Farage called the blimp “the biggest insult to a sitting US President ever.”
Sadiq Khan has allowed an inflatable “Trump baby” blimp to fly in London. This is the biggest insult to a sitting US President ever. https://t.co/4IRVlG7Gz6
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 5, 2018
However, if a giant, inflatable Trump chicken outside the White House didn’t bother the President, we doubt this will.
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