In what critics are calling a tasteless political stunt, statues depicting President Donald J. Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein appeared Tuesday on the National Mall. The installations, complete with misleading inscriptions and carefully timed media coverage, are the latest attempt by left-wing operatives to tie Trump to Epstein—a narrative long pushed by Democrats despite key facts contradicting their claims.
Positioned prominently in a tourist-heavy area of the Mall, the two life-size bronze figures are posed as if holding hands, with a plaque reading, “In Honor of Friendship Month.” The inscription goes on to claim it celebrates the “long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.” This language appears to stem from a birthday message allegedly written by Trump more than 20 years ago—though context and sourcing remain dubious.
A statue depicting President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein frolicking hand in hand appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. today. pic.twitter.com/1fH9ICkkjV
— Natalie F Danelishen (@Chesschick01) September 24, 2025
Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee recently released a trove of documents obtained from the Epstein estate, including the supposed note. But the political weaponization of such material has drawn criticism from conservatives and free-speech advocates alike.
Just this week, The Wall Street Journal moved to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Trump against the outlet for its Epstein-related reporting. The Journal’s legal team painted the lawsuit as a First Amendment issue, saying in a court filing, “This case calls out for dismissal… the President of the United States brought this lawsuit to silence a newspaper for publishing speech that was subsequently proven true by documents released by Congress.”
However, conservatives argue that the media’s reporting selectively amplifies narratives that fit their anti-Trump agenda while ignoring or burying context that paints a different picture.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson fired back at the installation and media frenzy in a statement to The Hill:
“Liberals are free to waste their money however they see fit – but it’s not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep.”
Indeed, Trump’s past relationship with Epstein has long been public knowledge—but what often goes unreported is the fact that Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after reports of inappropriate behavior surfaced, years before Epstein’s 2019 arrest and subsequent suicide in federal custody.
Jackson added:
“Democrats, the media, and the organization that’s wasting their money on this statue knew about Epstein and his victims for years and did nothing to help them, while President Trump was calling for transparency and is now delivering on it with thousands of pages of documents.”
Despite Democrats’ attempts to spotlight Trump’s alleged connection to Epstein, figures like former President Bill Clinton—who appeared on Epstein’s flight logs and visited his private island—continue to escape serious media scrutiny.
