Controversy erupts over a Lord Hanuman statue in the US; a Trump ally’s statement sparks an uproar

New Delhi: A new controversy has erupted over the 90-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman installed in the US state of Texas. The statue was installed in the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in August 2024 and is considered the tallest Hanuman statue in North America. However, a statement by Alexander Duncan, a leader of Donald Trump's Republican Party, has sparked a religious and political debate. The statement comes at a time when Donald Trump has already alienated India through his churlish policies—be it the 50% tariffs, the price hike in H-1B visas, or his pigheadedness in claiming to break a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. "Why a statue of a false god?" Alexander Duncan, a Republican running for Senate, shared a video of the Hanuman statue and wrote, "Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu god in Texas? We are a Christian nation." Why are we allowing a false statue of a false Hindu God to be here in Texas? We are a CHRISTIAN nation!pic.twitter.com/uAPJegLie0 — Alexander Duncan (@AlexDuncanTX) September 20, 2025 He then tweeted another quote from the Bible: "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make any idol or figure of any kind." Protest from Indian-Americans Following Duncan's statement, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and several Indian-American organizations called it "anti-Hindu and inflammatory." HAF tweeted to the Texas Republican Party, asking, "Will you take action against your party's candidate who is blatantly violating anti-discrimination guidelines and also disregarding the First Amendment of the Constitution?" Hello @TexasGOP, will you be disciplining your senate candidate from your party who openly contravenes your own guidelines against discrimination—displaying some pretty sordid anti-Hindu hate—not to mention disrespect for the 1st Amendment’s Establishment Clause? https://t.co/5LItlu7Zu2 pic.twitter.com/oqZkZozUBR — Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) September 22, 2025 The First Amendment (Establishment Clause) is a provision of the US Constitution that prohibits government recognition of any one religion. The Indian community is already upset with the Trump administration's statements. [caption id="attachment_159111" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The Statue of Union, Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple[/caption] Furthermore, Trump's former aide, Peter Navarro, made racist remarks about Indians, saying that "Brahmins are exploiting Indians." This had already angered the Indian-American community. Protests from MAGA supporters Trump supporters, along with those of the MAGA (Make America Great Again) ideology, have been protesting the Hanuman statue since day one. Some criticized it as worship of a "foreign deity," while others even called it a "demonic figure." Media outlets like Newsweek also ran controversial headlines: "Huge half-monkey, half-human statue in Texas sparks conservative backlash." Some extremists compared the statue to George Floyd, further fueling the controversy.