US EditionTrump and Epstein Statue in D.C. Removed by Authorities Despite Permit
The statue was removed early despite a permit valid until Sunday due to a reported height discrepancy, prompting free speech concerns from the activist group behind it.
- On Tuesday, a statue titled Best Friends Forever featuring President Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein appeared on the National Mall, but the National Park Service and U.S. Park Police removed it early Wednesday morning.
- Interior Department spokesperson Elizabeth Peace said Park officials removed the statue for permit noncompliance, citing a height discrepancy, while the group says it was not given 24 hours' notice before takedown.
- The Secret Handshake erected papier-mache, bronze-painted figures showing Trump and Epstein smiling and holding hands, with plaques referencing Friendship Month and a long-standing bond.
- The takedown prompted free-speech concerns and public debate about political art and censorship, as Secret Handshake organizers say U.S. Park Police toppled and damaged the statue overnight and seek accountability.
- Amid calls to release Epstein investigation files, the stunt intensified scrutiny of President Donald J. Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as Trump sued the Wall Street Journal for $10 billion.
38 Articles
38 Articles
That Trump and Epstein statue has a lot in common with medieval satire
Early on the morning of September 23, a 12-foot-tall bronze statue appeared on the lawn of the National Mall. It depicted President Trump and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands and frolicking together, and the plaque at its base read: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.” By the next morning, the statue had been hauled away by U.S. Park Police. Th…
Trump Agrees To Release Files In Weird Friday Night News Dump — No, Not The Epstein Files
President Donald Trump agreed to release some long-secret files in a weird Friday night news dump, but not the so-called Epstein Files so many are clamoring for. While media interest in the Epstein Files story has dropped off from the early summer peak, the Jeffrey Epstein saga had a symbolic revival this week. A mysterious group called “Secret Handshake” installed a statue on the National Mall depicting Trump and Epstein holding hands and skipp…
The Columbian
Los Angeles TimesReinstallation of Trump and Epstein statue denied after its removal from National Mall
A 12-foot statue depicting President Trump holding hands with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Tuesday morning and was removed by the National Park Service less than 24 hours later. Read more...
Gleeful Trump and Epstein Statue Appeared at U.S. Capitol 'in Honor of Friendship Month.' Authorities Quickly Tore It Down
A statue depicting Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has been removed from the National Mall before its permit expired. The statue's inscription highlighted the longtime friendship between the two
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