A controversial statue depicting President Donald Trump and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has been reinstalled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., following its removal by the National Park Service (NPS) just last week.
The sculpture, titled “Best Friends Forever,” shows both Trump and Epstein in a dramatic pose with one foot kicked back and a hand flailing in the air. A plaque positioned between the two figures, titled “In Honor of Friendship Month,” reads: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.” President Trump has consistently denied having had a close relationship with Epstein and has dismissed the controversies surrounding their ties as a “Democratic hoax.”
The organization responsible for the statue, “The Secret Handshake,” reassembled the piece after it was dismantled and severely damaged during its ordered removal last week. Visible marks of the damage are still present on the reinstalled statue.
Removal, Reinstallation, and Official Comments
A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, which oversees the NPS, previously stated that the statue was removed because it “was not compliant with the permit issued.” However, the permit for the statue’s return was approved on September 30, which occurred before the current federal government shutdown. A member of “The Secret Handshake” told CNN that the group was informed that the shutdown should not affect their ability to install the statue.
When a Department of Interior spokesperson responded to CNN’s request for comment from the NPS regarding the reinstallation, the spokesperson instead chose to comment on the government shutdown: “The only people holding hands in D.C. right now are (Senate Minority Leader Chuck) Schumer and (House Minority Leader Hakeem) Jeffries after they shut down the government to push their radical agenda.”
Previous Works by “The Secret Handshake”
“The Secret Handshake” is known for installing other sculptures on the National Mall that have quickly gone viral. In 2024, the group placed “The Resolute Desk,” a bronze replica of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk topped with a basketball-sized emoji-like poop. This piece was meant to reference the January 6 insurrection, when a supporter of President Trump who stormed the Capitol was famously photographed with his feet on the desk. The group also installed “The Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame” in Freedom Plaza, a bronze statue of a tiki torch, which appeared to mock President Trump’s defense of the marchers who attended a 2017 White supremacist rally. Another of their installations, titled “Dictator Approved,” depicted a golden hand giving a thumbs up while crushing the Statue of Liberty’s crown on the National Mall.
What The Author Thinks
The recurring reinstallation of this provocative statue on the National Mall confirms that this form of political street art is less about obtaining permanent public display and more about manufacturing a recurring viral moment. The sheer audacity of the piece, combined with the bureaucratic friction of its removal and reinstallation, guarantees media coverage, which is the true objective of the organization. By forcing a government agency to physically handle and police their pointed, controversial commentary, “The Secret Handshake” brilliantly leverages the authorities’ predictable reaction to amplify their message and keep the contentious topic in the public discourse.
Featured image credit: WUFT
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