Sophie Bennett
In 2017, a 30-foot inflatable chicken with a golden coiffure appeared near the White House. The chicken, referred to as Chicken Don, was placed there by Taran Singh Brar, a documentary filmmaker, as a protest against Donald Trump's weak and ineffective leadership. While Trump himself did not respond to the giant chicken, his supporters did, with some outraged by the comparison. In 2025, Trump responded angrily to a reporter who asked him about the TACO acronym, coined by a Financial Times columnist, which stands for Trump Always Chickens Out.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 10 August 2017 |
| Location | The Ellipse, near the White House |
| Height | 30 ft (9m) |
| Owner | Taran Singh Brar |
| Owner's occupation | Filmmaker, activist, or documentary maker |
| Owner's location | Orange County, California |
| Cost | $1,500 |
| Total amount spent by owner | $5,000 |
| Chicken's appearance | Golden coiffure, scowl, and torch of gold hair |
| Chicken's name | Chicken Don |
| Reason for display | Protest against Trump's "weak" and "ineffective" leadership, including his stance towards Vladimir Putin and North Korea, and his failure to release his tax returns |
| Trump's location during the display | Bedminster, New Jersey |
| Trump supporters' response | Outrage |
| Trump's response | None |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Trump was not at the White House when the chicken balloon appeared
- The balloon was owned by filmmaker Taran Singh Brar, who said it portrayed a weak and ineffective president
- The chicken had previously appeared at pro-Trump events and protests
- The balloon's appearance sparked a range of reactions on Twitter
- In 2025, Trump responded angrily to a reporter who accused him of chickening out on tariffs
Trump was not at the White House when the chicken balloon appeared
In August 2017, a giant inflatable chicken appeared near the White House, styled to resemble then-President Donald Trump. The chicken, owned by filmmaker Taran Singh Brar, featured a golden mane and an accusatory stance, with two feathers curled into Trump's signature "okay" gesture. The balloon was designed to protest Trump's "weak" and "ineffective" leadership, with Brar stating that the prop portrayed a president who seemed afraid.
The chicken balloon's proximity to the White House, clearly visible in the background of news segments, made it a notable protest. This was not the first appearance of the balloon, as it had previously been seen at pro-Trump events and marches. However, its presence near the White House sparked particular attention and commentary from the public, including notable figures like Piers Morgan, who shared his thoughts on Twitter.
The chicken balloon, dubbed "Chicken Don" by some, stood at 30 feet tall and was strategically placed by Brar to be in view of news cameras. The display was designed by a Seattle artist and cost $1,500 to make, with Brar spending a total of $5,000 on the entire setup. The balloon's appearance sparked a range of reactions, with some finding it amusing and others criticising the stunt as "pathetic".
Chicken Legs: Calories, Carbs, and Nutrition Facts
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The balloon was owned by filmmaker Taran Singh Brar, who said it portrayed a weak and ineffective president
The giant chicken balloon that appeared near the White House in 2017 was owned by filmmaker Taran Singh Brar. Brar, a documentary filmmaker from Orange County, California, said the balloon portrayed a weak and ineffective president. He said that the chicken was designed by a Seattle artist and made in China at a cost of $1,500. In total, he spent about $5,000 on the display.
The 30-foot inflatable chicken, referred to as "Chicken Don", stood between the official residence of the US president and the Washington Monument. It had a scowl and a golden mane, resembling then-President Donald Trump. Brar said that the display was a protest against Trump's ineffective leadership, including his stance towards Vladimir Putin, and the idea of holding a military parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. He also criticised Trump for his "game of chicken" rhetoric toward North Korea.
The balloon had previously appeared at several pro-Trump events, but its proximity to the White House evoked a particularly strong reaction, especially from Trump supporters. Some were outraged that anyone would compare Trump to a chicken, given his hawkish stances on conflict resolution. However, some Twitter users were not impressed, with one calling the stunt "pathetic".
Trump himself was not in the White House to see the balloon, as he was in Bedminster, New Jersey, for a working vacation.
Chicken Choppers: Cups to Pounds Conversion
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The chicken had previously appeared at pro-Trump events and protests
In 2017, an inflatable chicken appeared near the White House in protest of Donald Trump's presidency. The 30-foot-tall "Chicken Don" was placed between the official residence of the US president and the Washington Monument. The chicken, owned by filmmaker Taran Singh Brar, sported a golden mane and an accusatory expression, with one wing curled into Donald Trump's signature "okay" gesture.
The chicken had previously appeared at several pro-Trump events and protests, including Chicago's Tax March in April of the same year. According to Brar, the prop portrayed a president who is afraid and ineffective as a leader. He specifically mentioned Trump's failure to release his tax returns, his stance towards Vladimir Putin, and his "game of chicken" rhetoric toward North Korea as reasons for the protest.
While Trump himself did not respond to the chicken, as he was not at the White House at the time, the display certainly evoked strong reactions from both Trump supporters and critics. Some Trump supporters were outraged by the comparison, while others found it amusing or cute. The chicken's presence near the White House certainly added a unique element to the ongoing series of protests that had marked Trump's presidency.
Grams in Ounces: Chicken Weighing Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The balloon's appearance sparked a range of reactions on Twitter
The appearance of the 30-foot-tall "Chicken Don" balloon near the White House sparked a range of reactions on Twitter. The balloon, owned by filmmaker Taran Singh Brar, was designed to resemble former US President Donald Trump, sporting a golden mane and an accusatory stance. While some Twitter users found the stunt pathetic, others, like Eva Ulrich, appreciated the humour, commenting, "Not a comment on Trump or his presidency, but I just kind of love the inflatable chicken w/Trump hair. It is really cute!".
Scott Presler, another Twitter user, criticised the expense of the protest, tweeting, "The left would rather spend $1300 on a #TrumpChicken than use that money to feed the homeless. The obsession continues." The protest also caught the attention of Piers Morgan, who retweeted a New York Times article about the chicken's proximity to the White House.
The chicken balloon had previously appeared at several pro-Trump events and during a Tax March in Chicago. However, its appearance near the White House, in full view of the news cameras, evoked a particularly strong reaction, especially from Trump supporters. Taran Singh Brar explained that the balloon portrayed a president who seemed afraid and ineffective as a leader. He also criticised Trump's reluctance to release his tax returns and his stance towards Vladimir Putin.
Mac & Chicken Bowl: KFC's Calorie Bomb
You may want to see also
Explore related products
In 2025, Trump responded angrily to a reporter who accused him of chickening out on tariffs
In 2025, former president Donald Trump responded angrily to a reporter who accused him of "chickening out" on tariffs. The incident occurred during a heated press conference at the White House, where a reporter asked Trump about the TACO trade, a new acronym that had been circulating on Wall Street. The acronym, coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong, stood for "Trump Always Chickens Out" and referred to Trump's tendency to make strong tariff threats and then back down.
Trump, visibly bothered by the question, denied that he had chickened out and listed instances where he had imposed high tariffs on China and the European Union. He claimed that his approach was a negotiation strategy and that he had obtained concessions due to his strong stance. Trump lashed out at the reporter, telling them, "Don't ever say what you said." He also expressed his displeasure with the accusation of being a "chicken," stating that people often accused him of being too tough.
This was not the first time Trump had been associated with a chicken. In 2017, protestors flew a giant inflatable chicken outside the White House to mock his leadership. The 30-foot "Trump chicken", created by documentary filmmaker Taran Singh Brar, sported a golden mane and a grumpy expression, resembling the then-president. The protest criticized Trump's "weak" and "ineffective" leadership, including his stance towards Vladimir Putin and North Korea. While some found the stunt pathetic, others enjoyed the inflatable chicken, finding it cute and a creative way to express their dissatisfaction with Trump's presidency.
Measuring Shredded Chicken: Ounces in Two Cups
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, Trump was in Bedminster, New Jersey, for his working vacation and was not at the White House when the giant chicken balloon appeared.
Some Trump supporters were outraged by the comparison of Trump to a chicken.
Taran Singh Brar, the owner of the balloon, said the prop portrays a president who is "afraid" and that he wanted to bring awareness to what he believed was a "bad and destabilising" US president.
Trump responded angrily to a reporter who asked him about the "TACO" acronym, which stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out". He denied ever backing down on his tariff threats and told the reporter, "Don't ever say what you said."
