Statue of Trump holding hands with Jeffrey Epstein appears on National Mall
-AP.
A controversial 12-foot statue depicting President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has been installed on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
The work appeared Tuesday morning across from the U.S. Capitol and immediately generated strong reactions.
The sculpture, spray-painted bronze and mounted on a low pedestal, bears the title “Best Friends Forever.”
A plaque at its base reads: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend’ Jeffrey Epstein.”
As I told a @WashingtonPost reporter on scene, new satiric statues of @POTUS @realDonald Trump & Jeffrey Epstein on the National Mall show the First Amendment continues to be upheld in one of our most sacred civic spaces: freedom of speech, expression, association, & the press. pic.twitter.com/fmFHZqoaFe
Although the artist remains anonymous, the installation is believed to be the work of a protest art collective.
The National Park Service granted a permit allowing the statue to remain on display until Sunday evening.
White House officials swiftly criticized the piece.
They emphasized that President Trump claimed he severed ties with Epstein years ago and denied any inappropriate behavior.
This is the latest in a series of provocative artworks unveiled in DC in recent months, intended to spark discussion around accountability, legacy, and the intersections of politics, power, and scandal.