A bronze statue of Melania Trump, located in her hometown in Slovenia, has mysteriously disappeared, five years after it replaced a wooden statue that was previously burned. The life-sized statue, situated in the village of Rozno near Sevnica where Melania was born, was unveiled in 2020 and depicted the First Lady perched on a tree stump. The new abstract metal piece replaced the original wooden statue, which bore a closer resemblance to Melania in a pale blue dress reminiscent of her attire at Donald Trump’s first inauguration. The original statue, crafted by local artist Aleš Župevc, was destroyed by fire in July 2020 and later relocated to an art museum.

Local media shared images revealing only the feet remaining at the site where the bronze statue once stood, indicating that the rest of the installation had been sawed off at the ankles. Slovenian police are currently investigating the theft, which was reported on May 13. Brad Downey, one of the statue’s creators, expressed his sadness over its disappearance and speculated that it might be related to the recent US presidential election. The investigation into the missing statue remains ongoing, with inquiries made to the Slovenian police, Brad Downey, and the White House for further information. The incident has sparked intrigue and speculation surrounding the statue’s sudden vanishing act, leaving many wondering about the motives behind its removal.