Trump Statue Removed from Texas Museum

A wax figure of US President Donald Trump has been removed from a museum in San Antonio, Texas. The Louis Tussauds Waxworks Museum decided to move it into storage after visitors repeatedly damaged the figure by punching and scratching it.

"It's a presidential figure," said Suzanne Smagala-Potts, a spokesperson for the museum's parent company, Ripley Entertainment. "Sometimes people attack him, but they've also attacked Obama, Bush, and celebrities. It happens."

Political figures typically suffer significant damage

The museum's regional manager, Clay Stewart, said at the time that Trump's figure had sustained significant damage. Stewart said that attacks on political figures are a problem whenever political figures are put on display. However, Smagala-Potts also said that statues require regular repairs due to normal wear and tear. "Political figures can be a little more polarizing, depending on which side of the political spectrum you're on," Smagala-Potts said. "And that's perfectly fine. We're not a political business. We have no bias." She added that the museum allows visitors to interact with these people however they wish. "And we say, you know, you can have your photo taken however you want," Smagala-Potts continued. "Some people like to have their photo taken with a thumbs up, some people like to have their photo taken with a thumbs down." The museum confirmed that Trump's statue will be repaired and reinstalled in the gallery alongside President Joe Biden's statue. Trump pardons Democratic congressman from Texas

In a separate development highlighting the president's use of executive power, Trump announced on Wednesday that he was pardoning Democratic congressman Henry Cuellar. In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused his predecessor, President Joe Biden, of using the Justice Department against his opponents.

Cuellar and his wife were accused of accepting a $600,000 (approximately £449,775) bribe from a foreign entity in 2024.

"Sleepy Joe harassed the Congressman and even the Congressman's lovely wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the truth," Trump said. "This is un-American, and, as I've said before, radical left Democrats are a complete threat to democracy."

Political Context of the Pardon

Despite criminal charges against Cuellar and his wife, the moderate Democrat from Texas was re-elected to his seat during the November election. The pardon came after Republicans attempted to remove him from his seat, forcing a runoff election.

The day he received the pardon, Cuellar assured his fellow Democrats that he was not planning to switch parties. He also thanked Trump on social media for the pardon. Cuellar has long denied any wrongdoing in a statement after the charges were filed.