A striking new statue featuring former President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands appeared unexpectedly on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on the morning of September 23. This enigmatic piece of art, which is being presented as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the duo’s known connections, coincides with the celebration of Friendship Month. It comes on the heels of congressional Democrats’ recent release of a birthday scrapbook linked to Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003.
This satirical portrayal showcases the two wealthy figures playfully standing on one foot, as if gleefully skipping away from the U.S. Capitol. One of the anonymous artists behind this bizarre effigy, who operates under the moniker The Secret Handshake, spoke with the Daily Beast about the creation of the 12-foot-tall (~3.7-meter-tall) statue. Efforts to contact The Secret Handshake have been unsuccessful, as the group appears to maintain no online presence.
Accompanying plaques stationed with the installation read: “In honor of Friendship Month, we celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein. Voice Over: There must be more to life than having everything.”
The concluding line of the plaque derives directly from a letter that Trump is reported to have signed in a birthday book gifted to Epstein by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and accomplice, back in 2003. The message unfolds like a script within an outline of a woman’s body, beginning with a voice-over and culminating in Trump’s purported final remark: “May every day be another wonderful secret.”
Key elements of the dialogue are featured on a plaque attached to the statue’s pedestal, including what is said to be Trump’s signature (which he denies having authored).
This provocative installation is positioned directly across from the Capitol building. Photographic evidence shared on social media platforms shows the statue juxtaposed against Henry Merwin Shrady’s 1922 Ulysses S. Grant Memorial in the background.
The unveiling of this monument coincides with the ongoing political climate in Arizona, where a special election is underway that may compel the House of Representatives to take an official vote on the release of the Epstein files.
Tuesday’s installation is a continuation of a series of satirical artworks that have emerged across the United States, critiquing Trump, right-wing politics, and events surrounding the January 6 insurrection. For instance, last October saw the emergence of a bronze-colored turd on the National Mall, alongside a crude effigy of Trump in Philadelphia that highlighted his notorious “grab them by the pussy” comment. It remains unclear if the creators of this recent installation are the same artists responsible for previous provocative works.
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