Sevnica, Slovenia - Police in 's home country of Slovenia are investigating after a life-sized statue of the First Lady was apparently sawn off at the ankles and removed.
Police in Slovenia are currently investigating after a bronze statue of US First Lady Melania Trump was reportedly cut off at the feet and stolen. © Collage: Drew ANGERER & Jure Makovec / AFP
According to , police spokeswoman Alenka Drenik Rangus said Thursday that the theft was first reported on Tuesday, May 13, and authorities are actively working to find those responsible.
Brad Downey, the American artist who created the piece, said he felt "a bit sad that it's gone."
"My feeling is that it has something to do with the new election [of Melania's husband, President ], but who knows, right?
The statue, which was fixed into a large tree trunk with concrete and metal bars, was first unveiled near Melania's hometown of Sevnica in 2020, as President Trump was preparing to end his first term.
It was actually a replacement for a similar wooden statue designed by local artist Aleš Župevc, which was set on fire by arsonists in July 2020.
Melania was born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, in 1970, grew up in Sevnica, and moved to New York City in 1996 to pursue her modeling career. She eventually , whom she married in 2005.
Since her husband's re-election earlier this year, Melania has opted out of staying at the White House, and the two are rarely seen together, sparking .
