90-Foot Hanuman Statue In Texas Sparks Row After YouTuber Says, “When We Win, We Are Tearing This Down”

A 90-foot Hanuman statue in Texas has become the centre of a political controversy after a conservative YouTuber posted a message about tearing it down.

The Hanuman statue in Texas stands at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, near Houston. Known as the Statue of Union, the Hindu temple landmark was inaugurated in 2024.

The controversy began after the YouTuber shared a picture of the monument and wrote: “When we win, we are tearing this down.”

The post has since drawn a response from Hindu Americans and raised questions about the 90-foot Hanuman statue, religious freedom and free speech in the US.

So, what exactly happened in Texas, and who is behind the remark?

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First, What Is The Texas Hanuman Statue?

The statue stands at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple on Synott Road in the Sugar Land area.

The temple's official Statue of Union website says the monument is 90 feet tall and depicts Abhaya Hanuman, a form associated with protection. It says the statue was envisioned by spiritual leader Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji and was named the “Statue of Union” because of Hanuman's role in reuniting Lord Rama and Sita in the Ramayana. 

The temple held its inauguration in August 2024. Its official website lists 19 August 2024 as the inauguration date. 

The statue had already faced opposition soon after its unveiling.

In August 2024, around 25 members of a Christian church gathered near the statue to pray and preach. Following the protest, temple authorities said they planned to hire security and install cameras. 

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Who Is Jesse Hughes?

The latest controversy centres on Jesse Hughes, a conservative YouTuber and MAGA activist.

On 20 September, Hughes posted a picture of the Hanuman statue on X and wrote that “when we win” it would be torn down. His post did not identify the election or political outcome he was referring to. 

The monument stands on temple property, rather than being a government-owned public monument. The controversy therefore began with Hughes' social-media statement, not with an announced removal process by Texas authorities. 

Then Came The Backlash

One of the strongest responses came from Ruchir Bakshi, a Hindu American and US Army combat veteran.

Bakshi said he had served alongside Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists and Hindus and argued that his military service was not about protecting one faith while targeting another.

He described Hughes' statement as a threat against Hinduism and said Hindu Americans and their places of worship were entitled to the same religious freedom as other communities. 

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) also backed Bakshi's response, saying it shared his concern over what it described as religious bigotry being promoted online. 

The debate has also drawn attention because it comes ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections, amid wider political arguments in Texas involving immigration, race, religion and the growing Indian-American community. 

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What Is The Legal Position?

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion in the US. However, US constitutional law does not protect every form of threatening conduct. The Supreme Court has recognised that genuine “true threats” can fall outside ordinary First Amendment protection. 

Federal law also specifically protects religious property. Under 18 U.S.C. §247, intentionally damaging or destroying religious property because of its religious character can be a federal offence in circumstances covered by the statute. The law also covers obstruction of religious exercise through force or threats of force. 

But as of 23 September 2026, there is no publicly reported criminal case, arrest or government order against Hughes over this post in the sources reviewed.

That means his statement should not be described as an actual demolition order or as proof that the statue is going to be removed.

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The Bigger Question

The Texas statue has become a flashpoint over a basic question in a religiously diverse society: Can a private religious community publicly display its faith without becoming a political target?

For Hindu Americans, the controversy also comes at a time when religion, immigration and Indian-American identity are increasingly appearing together in Texas political debates.

For Hughes' critics, the issue is not simply whether someone likes or dislikes the statue. It is whether political power can be used to target a religious site because of the faith it represents.

For now, the statue remains at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple. The immediate controversy is over a political statement made online, while the legal question would become materially different if anyone attempted to damage, destroy or forcibly interfere with the temple or its religious property. 

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TL;DR | News At A Glance

What happened to the 90-foot Hanuman statue in Texas?
A conservative YouTuber, Jesse Hughes, posted a photograph of the statue and wrote that “when we win, we are tearing this down”.

Where is the statue?
It stands at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in the Sugar Land area of Texas, near Houston.

When was it inaugurated?
The Statue of Union was inaugurated in August 2024. 

Who is Jesse Hughes?
He is a conservative YouTuber and MAGA activist who made the statement on X. He did not specify what political victory he meant. 

What was the response?
US Army veteran Ruchir Bakshi criticised the statement and said religious freedom should apply to Hindu Americans as well. CoHNA also supported his response. 

Has the US government ordered the statue's removal?
No such government order has been publicly reported in the sources reviewed as of 23 September 2026.

What does US law say?
The First Amendment protects speech and religious freedom, while federal law separately prohibits certain acts involving damage to religious property or interference with religious exercise through force or threats. 

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