A Slovenian publication has ignited international controversy with a stark artistic critique of former U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy. The latest cover of Objektiv, a supplement to the newspaper Dnevnik, features an illustration portraying Trump with attributes reminiscent of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, specifically in response to recent American military action in Venezuela.
Artistic Protest Against U.S. Intervention
Published on Friday, the provocative cover was illustrated by artist Tomato Košir. It depicts Trump wearing a Venezuela flag pin, with crude oil bleeding from his nose to form a shape resembling Hitler's iconic moustache. The bold imagery is accompanied by the subheading "American Attack on Venezuela." This artistic statement is a direct reaction to a military operation ordered by the Trump administration, which resulted in U.S. forces capturing Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, in a nighttime raid.
Following the operation, Trump made statements indicating the United States would "run" Venezuela, suggesting American oil companies would take over the country's oil production with eventual reimbursement. "A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," Trump told NBC News, framing the intervention in economic terms.
A Recurring Comparison and Fierce Backlash
Comparisons between Trump's policies and fascist regimes, particularly Hitler's Germany, are not new but have intensified during his second term. Critics have frequently drawn parallels, citing policies like aggressive immigration enforcement. The comparison hit close to home when Trump's own vice president, JD Vance, once called him "America's Hitler" back in 2016.
The Trump administration has consistently rejected these analogies. The Department of Homeland Security stated last year that "It is absolutely sickening to compare ICE law enforcement agents to the Gestapo," pushing back against the criticism. This cover by Košir is also part of a pattern for the artist, who previously depicted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with Trump-like features in August last year, commenting on transatlantic trade agreements.
Global Reactions and Online Virality
The magazine, notably based in Slovenia, the home country of former First Lady Melania Trump, has received significant attention and largely positive reactions online. Social media users praised the cover's pointed message. One popular post on X juxtaposed American and European perspectives: "America: He’s not Hitler / Europe: Listen, we know a thing or two about Hitler." Another user simply declared, "10/10. No notes."
A post celebrating the cover gained massive traction, amassing over 200,000 likes. It read, "Good morning to Melania Trump’s homeland of Slovenia and to this amazing magazine cover showing her husband with Hitler moustache made of crude oil," concluding with the remark, "Slovenes cooked severely here." The cover has thus transcended its local origins to become a focal point in the global discourse on U.S. power, historical memory, and the role of satire in political commentary.
