The White House is in crisis. America is reeling. The world watches on in dismay. Only one thing can save us now: the Trump Baby balloon...
What is the Trump Baby balloon?
A grotesque over-inflated orange baby, Donald Trump is the 45th and 47th President of the United States. When Trump first arrived into London under the guise of Leader of the Free World, London was ready and waiting for him with the Trump Baby balloon, a six-metre-high dirigible depicting a wailing POTUS in a nappy — sorry diaper — with a mobile — sorry cell — phone, on which he's frantically Tweeting — sorry X-ing — sorry Truthing bonkers bile. Crowdfunded almost a little too easily, the blimp was designed by Matt Bonner and constructed by Imagine Inflatables of Leicester, making its airborne debut during a protest in Parliament Square on 13 July 2018. Here's a one hour, eight minute-long video of the balloon aloft, which is strangely soothing right now.
What was the reaction?
A few snowflakes were upset, including some Tories (remember them?) and a man called Nigel, who called it "the biggest ever insult to a sitting president". Even better, sorry worse, the balloon didn't escape the attention of the man it was moulded in the shape of: "I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London," Trump whined. "I used to love London as a city. I haven't been there in a long time. But when they make you feel unwelcome, why would I stay there?" (He still came.) While the OG Trump Baby then followed POTUS on his UK trip up to Scotland, spin-off Trump Babies began appearing in countries including France, Argentina, Ireland and Denmark. The person behind the Trump Baby Crowdfunder, however, thought they could have done better: "In retrospect, had I known that people were going to give us over £40,000, we would have ordered a larger balloon."
Is it true the Trump Baby had babies?
By the time Trump was back in town for his state visit in June 2019, the Trump Baby was reinflated, and once again soared over Parliament, although apparently Trump did not see it: "Haven’t seen any protests yet," he reported, "but I'm sure the Fake News will be working hard to find them." This time, Trump Baby also spawned its own offspring in the form of a disturbing army of foil balloons. The mango-coloured globules punctuated the grey skies above Trafalgar Square, among placards reading things like "Lock him in the Tower!" and "It's not fair and I think you're really mean". It was, if nothing else, a much-needed tonic of catharthis, at a time when much of the UK would've rather given a state visit to a packet of cheese Doritos.
Was I dreaming, or was there a Sadiq Baby too?
Yes, anti-Khan protestors displayed their trademark razor-sharp wit by copying the Trump idea — except with Sadiq Khan in a yellow bikini (Khan had just pledged to ban adverts on London transport promoting "unhealthy or unrealistic" body images). "In light of the Donald Trump 'Baby Trump' balloon being allowed to fly over London during his visit to the UK, let's get a 'baby Khan' one and see if free speech applies to all," said the crowdfunder. And lo and behold, Sadiq said you can't do that go for it. As you can see from the footage above, literally tens of people turned out to see the Sadiq blimp. This then got copied with a Boris Blimp, by which point everyone was thoroughly puffed out.
Where is the Trump Baby now?
Trump departed the White House in January 2021 (although not without a fight, remember that?!), only to return four years later. Which leaves us asking one question, and one question only... Where is the Trump Baby balloon now? With the threat of Trump seemingly gone, the balloon was donated to the London Museum in 2021, where it is expected to go on display as part of a 'protest' section, when the new museum opens at Smithfield in 2026. Right now then, Trump Baby is likely flaccidly folded away in a box in Hackney. Truth be told, it should not be a museum piece just yet: Londoners aren't quite done with it.
