AP Photo/Richard VogelDonald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star has seen better days.
In a video obtained by Deadline Hollywood, a man dressed as a construction worker can be seen taking a sledgehammer and pickax to Trump's star on Hollywood Boulevard. The incident reportedly took place around 5:45 a.m., and LAPD received a call at 6 a.m. reporting vandalism. According to Deadline Hollywood, an LAPD police cruiser showed up around 6:15, but the alleged suspect had already left the scene.
The man vandalizing Trump's star identified himself to Deadline Hollywood as Jamie Otis. Otis reportedly said he was trying to extract the star from the sidewalk in order to auction it off and raise funds for the women who have accused Trump of sexual assault. (Trump and his team have consistently denied these allegations.)
Leron Gubler, President/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, released a statement in the wake of Trump's star being vandalized: "The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an institution celebrating the positive contributions of the inductees...When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark. Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a difference by voting and not destroying public property."
Gubler aded that the Chamber is working with police and intends to prosecute to the full extent of the law. He said this is something the Chamber would do for any Walk of Fame star that has been vandalized.
Per the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Trump's star will be repaired immediately, but this is a process which takes several days. During this time, it will be covered as a means of protection.
Trump received his star in 2007 before the season seven premiere of The Apprentice. (Trump hosted The Apprentice from 2004 to 2015. He was replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger after ending his relationship with NBC following the announcement of his presidential campaign).
At the unveiling of his star, Trump told reporters (as excerpted by USA Today) the ceremony "really has been a special moment in my life."
(E! and NBC are both members of the NBCUniversal family.)
—Additional reporting by Lindsay Good