A new bronze statue hass recently been installed on the east end of the National Mall in Washington D.C. as a controversial tribute to the friendship between former President Donald J. Trump and the convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The statue portrays the two men joyous and holding hands with one foot kicked back, accompanied by a plaque commemorating their bond.
Despite the statue’s fabricator remaining unknown, it bears thematic and artistic similarities to other recent works critiquing the president. Past sculptures critical of Trump on the National Mall have included a bronze representation of a pile of poop on a congressional desk and a statue dubbed “Dictator Approved,” which featured Trump’s positive quotes from various world leaders including Vladimir Putin, Jair Bolsonaro, Kim Jong-un, and Viktor Orbán.
The statue has reignited scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with Epstein, causing divisions among Trump’s typically united MAGA base. Despite the president’s efforts to suppress interest in their former association, details have continued to emerge, such as an alleged letter from Trump to Epstein’s 50th birthday book. This letter, which featured a drawing of a nude woman’s torso suggesting “certain things in common” and stating “enigmas never age,” is now displayed on the statue’s plaques.
Trump responded to the statue with a scathing statement issued by the White House, reaffirming that Epstein’s association with Trump was no secret, as he had reportedly expelled Epstein from his club for indecent behavior.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/23/national-mall-trump-epstein-statue
