By James Bickerton
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A French sculpting company has said it wants to build the “tallest statue in the West” to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
When contacted by Newsweek over the phone, the Paris-based company, Atelier Missor, confirmed the project was genuine and asked for written questions, which were submitted by email.
Why It Matters
The United States celebrates its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, with celebrations planned across the nation to mark the historic occasion.
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Atelier Missor’s announcement shows the anniversary has attracted significant attention beyond the U.S. borders. It also has a historic parallel: the Statue of Liberty was gifted to the nation by the people of France in 1886 to mark the 100th anniversary of American independence.
What To Know
In a post on X, Atelier Missor said: “After months of hard work, we’re proud to unveil the statue we’ll build to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Guardian of Liberty.
“What you see here is just the scale model. The real one will be gigantic, the tallest statue in the West. So many people have offered to fund it, but the real challenge will be getting visas so we can build it on American soil. Finishing it in less than a year won’t be easy…but as Napoleon once said, ‘Impossible is not French!’”
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The post was accompanied by a photograph of the "scale model" of the statue, which is already massive. It depicts a man with a cloth around his waist, carrying a large ball. The sculpture is white and appears to be made of stone.
Atelier Missor didn't say exactly how tall the statue will be, or how they are defining "the West."
The Birth of the New World statue in Puerto Rico, also known as the Christopher Columbus monument, is the tallest statue in North America at 360 feet.
Ukraine's Soviet-era Ukrainian Motherland Monument, located in Kyiv, stands 335 feet tall.
In March, a post another X post from Atelier Missor went viral, receiving over five million views and 72,000 likes on the platform.
The company shared an image of a large silver statue showing a man, dressed in ancient Greek or Roman style, with a lion at his feet.
It said: "To our fellow Americans: we are the last sculpture foundry in France and we have a message for you. Keep the Statue of Liberty; it’s rightfully yours. But get ready for another one. A New Statue of Liberty, much bigger, made out of titanium to withstand millions of years. We, the French people, are going to make it again!"
One of those who praised the depiction with Elon Musk, then head of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who replied: "Looks cool."
The post came after Raphaël Glucksmann, a French member of the European Parliament, joked the U.S. should give the Statue of Liberty back to France and accused the Trump administration of deciding to "side with the tyrants" against Ukraine.
On June 14, a military parade took place through Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, featuring approximately 6,600 soldiers, 84 military vehicles, including 28 M1 Abrams tanks, and more than 60 aircraft overhead.
What People Are Saying
British artist Alexander Adams said on X in regards to the sculpture: "With all due respect to the team, I believe this laudable attempt falls short. If one wishes to convey 'guardian of liberty' then different symbolism should have been devised. To portray effort, add strain and stress to the anatomy: show sinews straining and veins raised. If a figure can carry the world as easily as a balloon, then the achievement goes from titanic to banal. I believe we require an aesthetic that fuses the heroism of the Greeks with the modern spirit."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether Atelier Misso will secure the funding and permission necessary to attempt to build their statue. Given the date, completing it for 2026 could prove challenging.
Update 10/23/25, 1:04 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 10/24/25, 2:34 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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