On September 23, 2025, a striking new statue appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., sparking heated debate and a flurry of attention from locals, tourists, and the political establishment alike. The installation, which depicts former U.S. President Donald Trump holding hands with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stands in a park adjacent to the U.S. Capitol, its presence impossible to ignore for anyone passing by the heart of American political power.
The statue, which features a prominent plaque, has not shied away from controversy. The inscription reads: “We mark the long-standing connection between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend’ Jeffrey Epstein.” In a twist that only deepened the intrigue, a second plaque reportedly states: “In honor of friendship month, we celebrate the long-standing bond between President Donald J. Trump and his closest friend Jeffrey Epstein.” According to Gray News, the group responsible for the installation calls itself The Secret Handshake, although law enforcement authorities have not yet determined the precise identities of the artists. The National Park Service granted permission for the statue, allowing it to remain on site until Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 8 p.m.
The timing of the statue’s arrival is no accident. It comes amidst a renewed push to release the so-called Epstein files—thousands of documents and records related to the federal investigation and prosecution of Epstein, whose criminal network ensnared a roster of high-profile individuals from politics, business, and entertainment. As reported by The Washington Post, the Department of Justice recently declined to declassify additional documents from its Epstein investigation, despite mounting demands from some of Trump’s own allies for full disclosure.
Trump, for his part, has made efforts to distance himself from Epstein, particularly after the release of materials from as far back as 2003 that referenced their association, including a cruise purchase bearing Trump’s signature. According to Gray News and The Washington Post, Trump has stated that he and Epstein had a falling out years ago. In the past, the former president even claimed to have expelled Epstein from his private club, calling him “a scoundrel.”
Epstein’s web of connections was notoriously vast. As Gray News noted, he was linked to other powerful figures, such as former President Bill Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Epstein’s death in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019, officially ruled a suicide, only fueled speculation and conspiracy theories about the depth of his ties to the world’s elite and the secrets he may have taken to his grave.
For the artists behind The Secret Handshake, the statue is more than a provocation—it’s a statement about power, accountability, and the uneasy intersection of art and politics. An anonymous member of the group, speaking to The Washington Post, insisted that the work was intended as political symbolism, and that there was “no direct link” between this piece and their previous protest installations. Still, the group’s earlier works, such as the “Approved by the Dictator” statue and a 3.6-meter tall “golden” figure of Trump holding Bitcoin (unveiled just last week), suggest a pattern of using bold visual art to comment on the current political climate.
The reaction from officials has been swift and divided. A White House spokesperson, quoted by The Washington Post, emphasized that “spending on such acts is a private matter,” but also called for greater transparency in disclosing documents related to Epstein and his victims. The spokesperson pointedly remarked, “Politicians and the media have known about Epstein and his victims for many years,” underscoring the enduring tension between artistic expression and the demand for accountability.
For many visitors, the statue has become a must-see, drawing crowds of onlookers and snapping tourists. Some stop to read the plaque and discuss the implications, while others simply pose for photos, perhaps not fully grasping the gravity of the subject matter. The fact that this is the second Trump-themed statue to appear on the National Mall in a single week—after the golden Bitcoin figure—has only heightened the sense of spectacle and controversy surrounding the installations.
Yet beneath the attention-grabbing surface lies a far more sobering story. Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes were both shocking and far-reaching. Between 2002 and 2005, according to investigators cited by The Washington Post, Epstein orchestrated criminal schemes involving the sexual exploitation of underage girls at his residence, paying them for sex and recruiting their peers. His close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for her role in facilitating the trafficking of underage girls.
The shadow cast by Epstein’s actions has only grown longer as more information comes to light. As of January 2024, U.S. courts released more than a thousand documents mentioning prominent politicians, businessmen, former presidents, actors, and other public figures. The public’s hunger for answers remains unsated, especially with the Department of Justice’s refusal to release further Epstein-related files. For some, the statue is a reminder of unanswered questions and the need for transparency; for others, it’s a provocative stunt that risks trivializing real suffering.
It’s not the first time that art has been used as a tool for political commentary in Washington, nor is it likely to be the last. The National Park Service’s decision to grant a permit for the installation—allowing it to remain on public display at least through Sunday—was itself a statement about the value of free speech and the role of art in public discourse. As The Washington Post observed, the aim of such conceptual works is “to demonstrate freedom of speech and artistic expression through political symbolism.”
Still, the presence of the Trump-Epstein statue has reignited debates about the boundaries of artistic expression, the responsibilities of public officials, and the enduring legacy of one of America’s most notorious scandals. As the statue stands watch over the Capitol, its message—ambiguous, unsettling, and unmissable—continues to provoke discussion and reflection among all who encounter it.
Whether viewed as a powerful act of protest or a controversial provocation, the statue has succeeded in forcing a conversation that many would prefer to avoid. For now, it remains in place, a stark reminder of the uneasy relationship between power, art, and the search for truth in the nation’s capital.