Washington residents woke up to an unexpected sight this week after a protest art installation featuring figures resembling US President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was placed on the National Mall near the Capitol in Washington DC.
The installation, which shows the Trump and Epstein statues striking the iconic ‘Titanic’ pose, was reportedly erected by an artist collective known as Secret Handshake. The sculpture, titled “King of the World," references the iconic moment when the movie’s protagonists stand at the front of the ship.
“The tragic love story between Jack and Rose was built on luxurious travel, raucous parties and secret nude sketches," a plaque placed near the installation claimed. “This monument honours the bond between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein," it added
Tourists and visitors were seen taking pictures of the statue, which stood in front of banners displaying images of the two men and the phrase “Make America Safe Again."
The installation came at a time when Trump is facing renewed scrutiny over his alleged ties to Epstein who has been widely reported to have run a child sex and prostitution ring.
This installation is the latest protest artwork by Secret Handshake, an anonymous artist collective known for placing political sculptures in Washington without prior notice. In September last year, the group installed another statue showing Trump and Epstein holding hands outside the US Capitol, though it was removed soon after.
The organisation has also created a poop statue criticising January 6 Capitol attack rioters and displayed a large replica of Trump’s alleged birthday letter to Epstein.
The relation between Donald and Jeffrey Epstein has renewed scrutiny after the United States Department of Justice began releasing documents related to the late sex offender under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November. Several of the filess mention Trump along with other prominent figures.
Last week, the United States Department of Justice released additional FBI records summarising interviews conducted in 2019 with an unidentified woman during the agency’s probe into Epstein.
According to the newly disclosed documents, the woman alleged that Trump attempted to force her to perform oral sex after Epstein introduced her to the future president in New York or New Jersey in the 1980s, when she said she was between 13 and 15 years old. FBI agents interviewed the woman four times in 2019.
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
