The British government has rolled out the red carpet this week to welcome Donald Trump on his state visit. And today, we are floating the Trump baby to stand in solidarity with Americans who are affected by Trump’s dangerous and divisive politics.
When the blimp was launched last year, it gained a staggering number of supporters globally. The surge in support was rooted in a collective anger directed at our government for welcoming Trump and displaying an endorsement of his politics that oppresses women, LGBTQ+ folk and people of colour.
This has not changed, we are still angry and offended as Trump’s politics have only worsened since then. He remains the loudest climate denialist as he works to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement and proposing 72% cuts to research for cleaner energy. He continues to use racist rhetoric to talk about migration, fuelling the far right globally. And he persistently oppresses marginalised identities like removing all references to LGBTQ+ identities from White House documents and consistently challenging the rights of marginalised groups.
So this time we are making a bigger statement and more of an impact by extending the hand of practical solidarity to groups on both sides of the Atlantic who oppose Trump and his policies. Though last time’s inflation of the Baby went global, we knew that having a laugh at the President’s expense was never enough to burst the far right bubble around him and his chums. We knew the Baby should fly again - but this time we said we’d only do it if the public helped us raise £30,000 for six UK and US based groups fighting against Islamophobia, misogyny, climate change and xenophobia - ideas and politics promoted by Trump.
We have had overwhelming support from the British and overseas public who have donated their money to the cause. Not only did we meet our fundraising target, but we smashed through it and are now hoping to reach £50,000 by the end of the week. It seems that over 1500 donors who have helped us also see the seriousness of a major world leader whose bigoted outbursts and regressive policies are laying the tracks for even more harm to put put upon marginalised people the world over.
There are some who say that Trump’s visit to the UK is harmless, simply a celebration of British hospitality and a longstanding friendship. We couldn’t disagree more. He has come to insult and spread hatred, already calling Sadiq Khan and Megan Markle ‘nasty’. Added to that is the fact that he’ll leave with perfectly poised photos with the Royal family to add to his inventory of self-gratifying pictures.
Britain’s supposed allyship with the US is mounted as a justification for his visit, an excuse to welcome Trump. In the same respect we are allies with the millions of Americans who protest Trump daily, whether through demonstrations on the streets or smaller campaigns within their communities. We are allies with the families who have been separated by Trump’s immigration policies: the children who have been caged under ICE and people cannot return to their homes in the US because of the travel ban.
To match the ridiculousness of the British government inviting him yet again, we have to fly the blimp to mark the occasion and bring awareness to the fact that his seemingly innocuous tweets, comical bravado and downright vicious policies are the perfect kindling for the hatred brewing in our communities.
By flying Trump Baby we hope to show that Trump and his views are not welcome here.