By Michelle Ndaga
A provocative statue depicting former U.S. President Donald Trump and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has appeared on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall, drawing crowds, criticism and curiosity in equal measure.
Unveiled on September 23, 2025, the 12-foot installation, titled “Best Friends Forever,” shows the two men in a playful pose, each smiling broadly with one leg lifted as if mid-frolic. Though spray-painted to mimic bronze, the artwork is constructed from foam, wood, resin and wire.
The statue is credited to an anonymous artist collective known as the Secret Handshake Project. According to the group, the piece is a satirical commentary on Trump’s long-disputed ties to Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
A plaque at the base of the statue reads: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend’ Jeffrey Epstein.” Another references a 2003 birthday card allegedly sent from Trump to Epstein an artefact Trump has denied authoring.
The installation has a temporary permit from the National Park Service and is expected to remain in place until Sunday evening. Its location, directly across from the U.S. Capitol, ensures maximum visibility in one of the nation’s most symbolic public spaces.
Reactions have been sharply divided. Supporters of the work view it as biting political art, highlighting the unresolved questions surrounding Trump’s past associations. Critics, including Trump allies, have dismissed it as a partisan stunt.
A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign blasted the piece as “desperate liberal theater,” insisting Trump severed ties with Epstein decades ago.
As with other guerrilla-style public art, the statue has already ignited fierce debate over accountability, memory and the role of satire in American political culture.
