A new, “Titanic”-themed statue of President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein has popped up in Washington, D.C., the third to be placed at the National Mall since September.
The gold-colored statue shows the financier standing in front of Trump, who is holding his open arms, in a move that mimics one of the most famous scenes from James Cameron’s movie “Titanic.” The sculpture, titled “King of the World,” is the latest installation at the Mall drawing attention to the ties between the president and the convicted sex offender.
“When will these wealthy Democrat donors create sculptures of Democrats—like Stacey Plaskett and Hakeem Jeffries—who continued to solicit money and meetings from Epstein after he was convicted as a sex offender?,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement shared with Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Controversy over the release of the so-called Epstein files and Trump’s relationship with the late financier have dogged the president since his return to the White House. The two are known to have been close friends between the late 1980s and the early 2000s, a relationship that is documented by several photos of the two men together.
After Epstein’s arrest in 2019, however, Trump said: “I had a falling out with him a long time ago. I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for 15 years.” Trump, who is named thousands of times in the Epstein files, has not been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein’s abuse, and has always denied knowledge of the financier’s crimes.
What To Know
The nearly 12-foot-tall sculpture of Trump and Epstein which appeared on Tuesday on Third Street NW between Jefferson and Madison drives, is the third of such satirical statues installed by anonymous artists called “The Secret Handshake” in the space of a few months.
At the base of the statue, there is a plaque reading: “The tragic love story between Jack and Rose was built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches. This monument honors the bond between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, a friendship seemingly built on luxurious travel, raucous parties and secret nude sketches.”
Between the statues and the Capitol stand photos of Trump and Epstein together stamped with the words “Make America Safe Again” and the insignia of the Justice Department with the word “Justice” redacted.
Before the “Titanic”-inspired sculpture, the sculpture of a birthday note and crude drawing signed with the typed name Donald Trump and a “Donald” signature—a replica of a signature that was part of a 2003 book of birthday wishes for Epstein—was installed by the same group of artists in January. Trump has denied being the author of the note, saying the signature was not his.
Another spray-painted bronze sculpture titled “Best Friends Forever” was placed at the Mall in September and removed within 24 hours. It showed Trump and Epstein holding hands and raising one foot behind them.
What People Are Saying
In an email to ARTnews, The Secret Handshake said: “Because 2026 has been a banner year for President Trump. Meaning…he’s added giant banners of his face to federal buildings all across DC. We want to help him on his mission by tossing a few of our own in the mix.”
What Happens Next
The national conversation around the Epstein files, which triggered a wave of resignations and dismissals in the wake of their release earlier this year, is very much ongoing.
Major questions remain about the documents the public have not yet had access to, as lawmakers and journalists have identified millions of additional documents that were either withheld or heavily redacted.
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