Trumpy the Rat
{{Short description|Inflatable caricature of Donald Trump}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox artwork
| title = Trumpy the Rat
| image = Inflatable Trump caricature after Biden victory.jpg
| caption = The rat inflatable in Washington, D.C., during the celebration of Joe Biden's presidential victory
| artist = Jeffrey Beebe
| completion_date = August 2017
| medium = Plastic inflatable
| subject = Donald Trump
| height_metric = 4.57
| height_imperial = 15
| metric_unit = m
| imperial_unit = ft
}}
Trumpy the Rat was a plastic inflatable act as a caricature of the U.S. President Donald Trump. Jeffrey Beebe, a New York City-based artist and BravinLee programs, designed a rat-like inflatable balloon to protest against his speech of hatred, xenophobia, sexism and bigotry. Kickstarter funded the production of this inflatable and used it during anti-Trump protests. It made its first public appearance in August 2017 outside the Trump Tower.{{cite web|last=Voon|first=Claire|url=https://hyperallergic.com/395048/trumpy-the-rat-will-debut-next-week-when-the-president-returns-to-nyc/|title=Trumpy the Rat Will Debut Next Week, When the President Returns to NYC [UPDATED]|work=Hyperallergic|date=August 9, 2017|access-date=September 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929100206/https://hyperallergic.com/395048/trumpy-the-rat-will-debut-next-week-when-the-president-returns-to-nyc/|archive-date=September 29, 2017|url-status=live}}
Background
The concept of Trumpy the Rat was inspired by Scabby the Rat, an icon for the American labor.{{cite news|last=Mears|first=Bill|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/05/scabby.rat.free.speech/index.html|title=Scabby the Rat comes out winner in free speech battle|work=CNN|date=February 5, 2009|access-date=February 9, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209180900/https://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/05/scabby.rat.free.speech/index.html|archive-date=February 9, 2009|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Hitt|first=Tarpley|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/08/scabby-rat-union-labor-dispute-inflatable|title=Scabby the Rat is an American labor icon. Why are his manufacturers disowning him?|work=The Guardian|date=March 8, 2023|access-date=March 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309062034/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/08/scabby-rat-union-labor-dispute-inflatable|archive-date=March 9, 2023|url-status=live}} After an artist of BravinLee programs saw a rat in an avenue, he wished to see an inflatable rat that looked like Donald Trump to appear in the protests to show how Trump was being disliked. Trump's speech of hatred, xenophobia, sexism and bigotry was disgusting, and the rat was an iconic symbol to show that. Therefore, he contacted Jeffrey Beebe and Beebe agreed to create one.
Trumpy the Rat was a 15-feet tall rat with a human-like face. The rat had an iconic golden hair which symbolized Donald Trump, but keeping some signatures of a rat such as big ears and whistle tooth. The thumb and the index finger of the left hand were gestured in a right angle which became a tick sign, while the thumb and index finger of the right hand were clasped into a circle, making it an OK gesture. The sleeves of the left hand depicted a Confederate icon. It also weared a Lapel pin of the flag of Russia which insinuated Trump's close relationship with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.{{cite web|last=Carrigan|first=Margaret|url=https://hyperallergic.com/395842/thousands-of-protesters-and-an-inflatable-rat-welcome-president-trump-back-to-nyc/|title=Thousands of Protesters and an Inflatable Rat Welcome President Trump Back to NYC|work=Hyperallergic|date=August 15, 2017|access-date=August 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815210535/https://hyperallergic.com/395842/thousands-of-protesters-and-an-inflatable-rat-welcome-president-trump-back-to-nyc/|archive-date=August 15, 2017|url-status=live}}
Public usage
The rat inflatable made its first public appearance in mid August 2017, at a protest outside the Trump Tower in New York City.{{cite news|last=Flanigan|first=Tara|url=https://mashable.com/video/inflatable-trump-rat-manhattan-art|title=A giant inflatable 'Trump Rat' has invaded Manhattan|work=Mashable|date=August 14, 2017|access-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127003317/https://mashable.com/video/inflatable-trump-rat-manhattan-art|archive-date=January 27, 2022|url-status=live}} Later that month, the rat inflatable was placed outside the White House, and this was not aimed at a symbol of anger or hate, just simply a caricature of Donald Trump.{{cite news|last=Osborne|first=Samuel|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-giant-inflatable-rat-washington-dc-white-house-dupont-circle-john-post-lee-a7920591.html|title=Giant inflatable Donald Trump 'rat' to visit Washington DC|work=The Independent|date=August 30, 2017|access-date=August 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831003452/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-giant-inflatable-rat-washington-dc-white-house-dupont-circle-john-post-lee-a7920591.html|archive-date=August 31, 2017|url-status=live}} In October, Trumpy the Rat appeared outside the Municipal Services Building of Philadelphia, as part of the birthday celebration of Frank Rizzo, former mayor of the city. Art dealer John Post Lee, who set up the rat inflatable, thought that there were lots of similarities between Rizzo and Trump. Trump's absurd behavior that brought the United States to the lowest point in history.{{cite news|last=Hickey|first=Brian|url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/watch-trumpy-rat-comes-philly-celebrate-frank-rizzos-birthday/|title=WATCH: 'Trumpy the Rat' comes to Philly to celebrate Frank Rizzo's birthday|work=PhillyVoice|date=October 23, 2017|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024030147/https://www.phillyvoice.com/watch-trumpy-rat-comes-philly-celebrate-frank-rizzos-birthday/|archive-date=October 24, 2017|url-status=live}}
In December 2018, a protestor installed the rat inflatable on a boat in Palm Beach, Florida, though Trump decided to stay in Washington, D.C. because of the federal government shutdown. The mini protest aimed at impeaching Donald Trump or urged him to resign as the U.S. President.{{cite news|last=Touchberry|first=Ramsey|url=https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-new-years-inflatable-rat-1274177|title=Donald Trump Will Miss New Year's Eve Mar-a-Lago Party but Protesters Will Still Bring Giant Inflatable Rat|work=Newsweek|date=December 28, 2018|access-date=December 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231214916/https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-new-years-inflatable-rat-1274177|archive-date=December 31, 2018|url-status=live}}
In March 2019, Trumpy the Rat appeared outside the Trump Tower again, and the protestors thought that it was a better caricature compared with the Trump Chicken.{{cite web|url=https://erikmcgregor.com/2019/03/18/trump-rat-in-nyc/|title=The 'Trump Rat' pops up outside Trump International Hotel and Tower at Columbus Circle|work=Erik McGregor Photography|date=March 18, 2019|access-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321015920/https://erikmcgregor.com/2019/03/18/trump-rat-in-nyc/|archive-date=March 21, 2019|url-status=live}}{{User-generated source|date=May 2025}} In September, the rat inflatable was placed in Baltimore, ahead of Trump's visit to the city. Trump called the city "disgusting" and full of "rat and rodent infested mess".{{cite news|last=McGraw|first=Meridith|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-trump-heads-baltimore-city-called-rodent-infested/story?id=65570278|title=President Trump heads to Baltimore, a city he called a 'rodent infested mess'|work=ABC News|date=September 12, 2019|access-date=September 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913032614/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-trump-heads-baltimore-city-called-rodent-infested/story?id=65570278|archive-date=September 13, 2019|url-status=live}}
After the 2020 United States presidential election, people flew the rat inflatable balloon outside the White House as part of the celebration of Joe Biden's victory.{{cite news|last=Whigham|first=Nick|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/the-us-erupts-in-wild-scenes-as-joe-biden-wins-white-house-210843469.html|title=The US erupts in 'wild' scenes as Joe Biden wins White House|work=Yahoo! News|date=November 7, 2020|access-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108054153/https://au.news.yahoo.com/the-us-erupts-in-wild-scenes-as-joe-biden-wins-white-house-210843469.html|archive-date=November 8, 2020|url-status=live}}
A rat inflatable appeared during the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference, which held in National Harbor, Maryland.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/3883474-photos-cpac-day-2/|title=Photos: CPAC Day 2|work=The Hill|date=March 3, 2023|access-date=March 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304001314/https://thehill.com/homenews/3883474-photos-cpac-day-2/|archive-date=March 4, 2023|url-status=live}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|35em}}
External links
- {{YouTube|id=BW8dXOHD0ds|title=Giant Inflatable Trump Rat Appears On Streets Of New York: Meet The Man Behind The Balloon}} (August 16, 2017), TIME
- {{YouTube|id=juQhacZ8_7Y|title=An inflatable rat depicting Trump arrives in Washington DC}} (August 31, 2017), Agence France-Presse
{{Protests against Trump footer}}
Category:2017 in American politics
Category:Caricatures of presidents of the United States
Category:Cultural depictions of Donald Trump
Category:Inflatable manufactured goods
Category:Parodies of Donald Trump