A provocative new statue showing U.S. President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has appeared at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., generating strong reactions.
Standing 3.5 meters tall, the statue portrays the two men smiling while holding hands, atop individual pedestals. According to the plaque at the base, the piece commemorates “Friendship Month,” celebrating what the organizers described as the long-standing connection between Trump and Epstein.
@reuters A pop-up statue of President Donald Trump and late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands appears near the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. #trump #epstein #statue #washingtondc #nationalmall ♬ original sound – Reuters
Art Collective Behind the Work
The installation was created by an anonymous art collective calling itself The Secret Handshake, reportedly comprising fewer than five members. In a statement to The Independent, the group said the work aims to highlight Trump’s relationship with Epstein and the controversies surrounding it.
Additional plaques reference a birthday letter allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein. The figures themselves are constructed from foam, resin, wood, and wire, with spray-painted finishes.
The statue featured Trump and Epstein smiling at one another while dancing, accompanied by three plaques. One plaque read: “A friend is something wonderful. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” referencing a message allegedly written by Trump to Epstein, though the White House has disputed the authenticity of the note.
Display Period and Context
Under a permit from the U.S. National Park Service, the statue is allowed to remain in place until September 28. This installation follows a series of unusual exhibits at the National Mall, including a golden statue of Trump holding a Bitcoin, emphasizing the ongoing trend of provocative public art in the capital.
According to the artists, the 3.5-meter sculpture was demolished at 5:30 a.m. by city crews citing a violation of permit conditions, specifically the statue’s height, which exceeded the approved limit of approximately 1.83 meters. The creators claim they had been assured that if any issue arose, they would have 24 hours to remove it themselves. Instead, the statue was destroyed overnight, an act they describe as government censorship.
“The sudden removal of the work is a literal example of the Trump administration suppressing free speech, even though legal authorization had been granted,” the artists told Art News. They emphasized that the piece was intended to commemorate September as Friendship Month and was not meant as a political statement regarding the disclosure of Epstein’s records.
The Department of the Interior said the removal was due to “non-compliance with the terms of the permit.” The White House, speaking to the New York Times, noted that Democrats and media outlets had long been aware of complaints against Epstein but had not acted, and claimed Trump was promoting transparency by releasing thousands of documents.
