Donald Trump was pleased with Professor Nadey Hakim’s bronze bust of him (Image: Professor Nadey Hakim)
Professor Nadey Hakim is still dreaming of meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House. The billionaire praised the British-Lebanese transplant surgeon and sculptor for a bronze bust he sent him in 2020, even writing to thank him. However, his hopes of an Oval Office rendezvous were dashed by COVID-19.
Despite the setback, Professor Hakim, 66, remains hopeful. He told the Express: “I was surprised, I was honoured”. Reflecting on the moment he received the letter from Mr Trump, in which he described the sculpture as “incredible”, he admitted: “I’m still hoping for an invitation.” Professor Hakim was also present at Mr Trump’s inauguration, which he described as a “fantastic” experience, and his admiration for the New Yorker is evident in his work.
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US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January (Image: Getty)
Speaking about one aspect of the US President’s personality that impresses him, he explained: “I liked the personality of Trump myself. I liked that arrogance in his look, and this is how I thought of doing it. This going upwards with his look made the whole difference.”
The sculpture, which now sits at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, was a gesture of appreciation from Professor Hakim which the President reciprocated in a handwritten note.
In it, he wrote: “It’s an incredible sculpture, and I am honoured that you would spend so much time on my behalf on such a meaningful gift.”
Donald Trump was considerably less impressed by Sarah Boardman’s painting of him (Image: GETTY)
The praise from Mr Trump was anything but a given. A portrait painted by fellow British artist Sarah Boardman provoked an angry reaction from Mr Trump on his Truth Social platform earlier this month, with the 78-year-old claiming it was “purposely distorted”.
Professor Hakim expressed sympathy, saying: “I feel very sorry for her. She painted it in 2019, and it’s only now that he decided that it’s not the right painting. I can’t say much, but if you wanted to be critical, it’s not a nice painting.
“Whether you like him or not, it’s not my business – my daughter, who lives in New York, doesn’t, for example. I have to say, I like the personality of Trump myself.”
Professor Hakim’s sculpture, weighing 50 kilos, took him about six or seven weeks to complete, working evenings as he balanced his full-time job as a surgeon.
Donald Trump wrote to Professor Hakim to thank him (Image: Nadey Hakim)
He said: “Sculpting happens when it happens. Sometimes you get stuck, but in this case, it worked. I liked it. And when I finished, I said, ‘That’s it.’”
Mr Trump is far from alone in being a subject for Professor Hakim. His portfolio includes busts of prominent figures, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Pope Francis.
He described the approach to each subject as more than simply creating a likeness, saying: “When you do a sculpture, really, you are inviting that person to your studio, because by the time you finish it, he’s there. I mean, whether it’s Kim Jong-un or Trump, I feel as if I know him the same.”
He added: “I’ve done Darwin, and I listened to Darwin’s books on audio while I was doing it. Or I’ve done Chopin and I listened to the music.”
Professor Nadey Hakim with Pope Francis, another one of his subjects (Image: Nadey Hakim)
Indeed, the Chopin bust will soon be unveiled at Warsaw Chopin Airport in the Polish capital.
The most remarkable of his sculptures, however, may be that of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. Speaking in 2020, Professor Hakim recalled his visit to the Hermit State in 2018 to deliver the bust in person.
The sculpture was well received, as he explained: “It’s extraordinary to have one of my sculptures in Pyongyang having just started by pure chance, really.”
When reflecting on Kim Jong-un’s image, Professor Hakim was struck by the fanatical reverence with which he is regarded in North Korea. He said: “He is God over there – he is literally God on Earth, a secular God.”
Looking ahead, Professor Hakim has no plans to slow down and his sculptures have found homes in 19 or 20 countries. As for the future, Professor Hakim has ambitions to sculpt Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, explaining: “She has a very striking face.”