A striking statue featuring President Trump and the late Jeffrey Epstein appeared at the National Mall on Tuesday before it was taken down by Wednesday morning.
This bronze piece, around 12 feet high, depicted both men seemingly dancing joyfully, with Epstein’s right hand held by Trump’s left.
One of the plaques underneath the statue stated, “celebrating the long-term bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘close friend’ Jeffrey Epstein,” while another referenced an anonymous group dubbed a “secret handshake.”
“We are a very small group of citizens who use art, irony, and humor to express social commentary and initiate political conversations in public places,” the group commented.
The US Parks Police removed the installation before dawn on Wednesday. They indicated that the statue did not adhere to the permit originally granted, which allowed it to remain until Sunday evening.
For months, Democrats have tried to capitalize on the relationship between Trump and Epstein, despite Trump distancing himself from questionable investors by the mid-2000s, before Epstein’s legal troubles surfaced.
The FBI and DOJ are under pressure to release all documentation connected to Epstein, who died by suicide while awaiting a federal trial on August 10, 2019. This incident has left many questions unanswered about his connections with affluent individuals.
Last week, former US attorney Alex Acosta testified before the House Oversight Committee to discuss the controversial plea deal Epstein secured in 2008 for soliciting prostitution and trafficking minors.
As part of that agreement, Epstein served only 13 months in detention, most of which was spent on work release.
In a statement, the White House remarked, “Liberals can waste their money if they choose, but it’s widely known that Donald Trump expelled Epstein from his club for being inappropriate.” They also pointed out that those financing the statue have been aware of Epstein and his victims for years without offering any assistance.
