A naked gold statue of Donald Trump has been unveiled in the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France, with a pointed message about the US president’s global impact.

The 2.6 metre sculpture, The Orange Plague, is made of copper and coated in 23-carat gold leaf, in reference to Trump’s love of gold.

On display in the heart of European politics, the provocative artwork depicts a nude, overweight president with his eyes closed, riding on the back of a thin and frail everyday man.

A plaque beneath the statue states: “I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except stepping down from his back.”

Danish artist Jens Galschiøt said his creation elicited silence, then applause followed by laughter and serious discussion when it was unveiled this week.

His website explains he chose Trump as the subject because he was “undermining the climate efforts, rolling back hard-won progress, and even destroying the scientific data that documents it”.

“Worse yet, he is using power and economic pressure to discourage other nations from pursuing green initiatives — thereby weakening the global fight against climate change.

“Nations as well as NGOs are afraid to openly raise the subject on how to deal with Trump and his policies, fearing tariffs, fund-cuts, deportations or the like.”

The statue is omitted display in the European Parliament building. Photo: Supplied

But while the world was too afraid to stand up to Trump, Galschiøt said that as an artist he was not restricted from speaking out.

“This sculpture has been made to address ‘the elephant in the room’ and start a necessary debate of how the US is destroying the world’s only chance to counter the climate catastrophe and a debate on how stand up against him.”

Galschiot was asked by The Huffington Post what he would say if Trump was viewing his creation.

“Get off our backs,” he responded.

Trump has not publicly reacted to the statue.

The president has instead been preoccupied with winning the Nobel Peace Prize which will be announced on Friday.

Since his return to the White House last year, Trump has repeatedly said he deserves what may be the world’s ‌most prestigious award.

“It is ‌about that ⁠time,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “But I was ​very honoured to receive it indirectly last time by the recipient, who said nobody in history deserves it more than President Trump.”

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump in January as she sought US support for her efforts ⁠in Venezuela.

Trump said he should get the ‌prize ​after wading into eight conflicts since taking office last January.

The leaders of Cambodia, Israel ​and Pakistan have ‌said they nominated Trump, though that has not been verified.

Parties to some ​conflicts Trump claims to have resolved dispute the US president’s diplomatic role, and fighting has flared again in some of those regions, including the Democratic Republic of ​Congo ​and along the border between ​Cambodia and Thailand.

A resolution to Russia’s war in ‌Ukraine has eluded Trump, who promised to end it on the first day of his second White House term. US-Israel strikes on Iran have led to a seven-month simmering conflict that has upended global energy supplies and driven gas prices up before November’s midterm ​elections.

Pope Leo, the International Criminal Court, the special rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories, ​are among the favourites to ⁠win this year.

-with AAP