Donald Trump Might Be About To Lose This Historic Symbol of Fame

In the world of showbiz, allegiances can sometimes be as fickle as fame itself. This is especially true when it comes to former President Donald Trump. Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have remained loyal to Trump, maintaining their friendships with the Trump family in spite of his polarizing political career. However, there are others who have been far from shy about expressing their disdain for the former reality TV star turned politician.

Unsurprisingly, a new controversy surrounding Trump in Hollywood is stirring. It’s not about a shocking TV show or a tell-all book full of secrets. Instead, it focuses on a relic from Trump’s previous career in television, before his foray into politics.

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The symbol in question is none other than Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Trump’s star has had quite a journey since it was awarded to him in 2007 for The Apprentice. It’s been a lightning rod for controversy, attracting vandals numerous times over the years.

Presently, Los Angeles residents are probing what administrative steps need to be taken to remove the star. The Los Angeles Times reported that there is no historical precedent for such an action, but the ongoing controversies tied to Trump’s presidency have sparked the discussion.

“The reasonably conveyed message to the millions who have walked past that plaque since 2021 is the city’s endorsement of a man who attempted a coup against the United States,” Andrew Rudick, a Hollywood resident, said at a Los Angeles City Council meeting in early December.

So far, no star has ever been removed from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, even when the honoree becomes embroiled in scandal. For example, calls were made to remove Bill Cosby’s star after numerous sexual misconduct allegations surfaced in 2015. In 2019, online petitions sought to remove Michael Jackson’s star after the release of the documentary Leaving Neverland, which brought up old sexual abuse allegations against the late singer. There was even a call to remove Trump’s star back in 2018, when the West Hollywood City Council voted to request the removal of the former president’s star due to accusations of his mistreatment of women.

Leron Gubler, the former President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, told the Times in 2015 that “once a star has been added to the Walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

However, recent events have challenged this status quo. Political leaders in Los Angeles have been forthright in their disapproval of Trump. Los Angeles City Council members like Hugo Soto-Martínez have labeled the former president as a “racist, fascist, and threat to our democracy,” and the council unanimously passed a resolution in 2021 calling for Trump’s impeachment following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “Since there’s no known precedent for removing a star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we’re looking into where the authority lies, what the legal issues may be, and what a process for it might look like,” Soto-Martínez said in a statement.

These strong sentiments, paired with the divisive policies and controversies during his presidency, have ignited a campaign to expunge his star from the famed Hollywood walkway. Trump’s representatives did not respond to the Times‘ request for comment, but the Republican Part of Los Angeles suggested removing Trump’s star would be a waste of time: “They should focus on their job — getting all our sidewalks clean and safe.”

While there is still some bureaucratic confusion as to the actual process of removing Trump’s star from the Walk of Fame, there doesn’t seem to be as much uncertainty surrounding a growing number of Los Angeles residents and officials’ sentiments on the controversial piece of Hollywood history.

Before you go, click here to see every time Ivanka Trump has tried to distance herself from the Trump family:

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