Protest Statue of Trump and Epstein Appears on National Mall
By Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com March 12, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. — A provocative 12-foot satirical sculpture depicting President Donald Trump a
By Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com
March 12, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A provocative 12-foot satirical sculpture depicting President Donald Trump and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein recreating the iconic “I’m flying” bow scene from the 1997 film Titanic materialized overnight on the National Mall, drawing crowds of tourists, photographers, and heated online debate just days after the administration’s military campaign against Iran intensified.
Titled “The King of the World” — a direct reference to Leonardo DiCaprio’s famous line as Jack Dawson — the gold-spray-painted installation shows a figure resembling Trump standing behind one resembling Epstein, arms outstretched toward the Washington Monument as if commanding the bow of a miniature Titanic ship. Accompanying plaques, placed at the base, highlight past social ties between the two men, including quotes from old interviews and flight logs, with pointed commentary on power, friendship, and accountability.
The artwork appeared early Tuesday morning near the U.S. Capitol end of the Mall and was quickly attributed to the anonymous artist collective The Secret Handshake, the same shadowy group responsible for previous guerrilla installations targeting Trump’s relationship with Epstein. This marks their third known piece in the series: the first, “Best Friends Forever” (later renamed “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”), depicted the pair holding hands and skipping; it was installed, removed by Park Police, briefly reinstalled, and later reappeared outside a D.C. café in late 2025.
Rapid Public and Political Reaction
Within hours of sunrise, hundreds of people gathered around the sculpture. Tourists snapped selfies, some laughing, others shaking their heads. Reactions ranged widely:
- “That’s an ugly *** statue,” one visitor told WTOP News. “But it makes you think.”
- A family from Ohio posed in front of it for photos, with the father commenting, “Art is supposed to provoke. Mission accomplished.”
- Online, the piece exploded on social media. Supporters of the president called it “disgusting fake news art” and “leftist vandalism,” while critics praised it as “brilliant political satire” and “a reminder we can’t forget powerful friendships.”
The White House issued a brief statement dismissing the installation as “another cheap stunt by attention-seeking radicals” and emphasizing that President Trump “has repeatedly stated he had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes and cut ties years before his death.”
Capitol Police and U.S. Park Police arrived mid-morning to assess the situation. As of Wednesday afternoon, the statue remained standing — unlike its predecessors, which were dismantled within 24 hours — possibly because the artists secured a short-term demonstration permit or because authorities are weighing free-speech considerations amid heightened national tension.
Context: A Series of Provocations
The Secret Handshake describes itself on anonymous channels as “a small group of citizens using art, humor, and public space to prompt political discourse.” Each installation has included detailed plaques citing publicly available information about Trump’s documented social interactions with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, including parties at Mar-a-Lago, shared flights on Epstein’s plane (before Trump claims he banned Epstein from the property), and Trump’s own past quotes calling Epstein a “terrific guy” who liked “beautiful women… on the younger side.”
The timing of this third piece — coinciding with soaring oil prices, civilian casualty reports from Iran, and FBI alerts about potential Iranian retaliation — has fueled speculation that the collective is deliberately amplifying domestic political friction during an international crisis.
Art critics and political observers see the work as part of a broader wave of guerrilla protest art targeting powerful figures. “It’s not subtle,” said Smithsonian American Art Museum curator Dr. Elena Ramirez in a phone interview. “But subtlety isn’t the goal. The goal is virality, memory, and forcing uncomfortable conversations into public view.”
Legal and Logistical Questions
Under National Park Service rules, unpermitted structures on the Mall are subject to immediate removal. Previous Secret Handshake pieces were taken down quickly, yet this one has lingered longer, prompting questions:
- Did the group obtain a First Amendment demonstration permit?
- Is the Park Police response slower due to resource strain from concurrent security alerts related to the Iran conflict?
- Will the installation be allowed to remain through the weekend, when tourist traffic peaks?
Park Police declined to comment on active enforcement decisions, citing policy.
Broader Cultural Impact
Whatever its fate, “The King of the World” has already achieved one clear objective: massive visibility. Photos and videos of the statue have racked up millions of views across platforms, with hashtags like #TitanicTrump, #KingOfTheWorldDC, and #SecretHandshake trending. Memes comparing the pair to Jack and Rose — some darkly humorous, others accusatory — continue to circulate.
For many passersby, the piece serves as an unexpected juxtaposition: amid reports of war abroad and economic strain at home, a golden reminder of domestic controversies that refuse to fade.
As one D.C. resident told Euronews while filming the crowd: “It’s weird, it’s bold, and right now it feels like everything is sinking anyway. Maybe that’s the point.”
Juba Global News Network will continue monitoring the statue’s status and any official response. Live photos, video interviews with onlookers, and updates on possible removal efforts are available in real time at JubaGlobal.com.
This is a developing story. Check back for the latest on this unusual piece of protest art amid extraordinary times.
