New Statue of Trump and Epstein Appears Outside U.S. Capitol, Protests Grow Worldwide

A new statue depicting President Donald Trump alongside the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has appeared outside the U.S. Capitol on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., erected by an unknown group. The bronze figures appear to hold hands, and a plaque beneath reads: "In honor of friendship month, we celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his 'closest friend' Jeffrey Epstein," followed by a silhouette of two hands making a heart shape.

The statue represents the latest in a string of protest works tied to Trump and Epstein that have surfaced in recent months. No group has claimed responsibility for this installation, and law enforcement has not publicly identified the organizers. The image and plaque are designed to provoke questions about allegations and public interest surrounding Epstein’s relationship with powerful figures, an issue that has resurfaced as lawmakers debate whether to release Epstein-related documents. Trump hosted Epstein at the Mar-a-Lago estate in the 1990s and spoke positively about him in a 2002 interview with New York magazine; after Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Trump said he had a falling out and that he was not a fan. In statements to TIME, a White House representative criticized the statue as part of a partisan effort and asserted that Trump has long advocated transparency, while pointing to the release of Epstein-related documents. A White House briefing provided to TIME described how Democrats and the media have known about Epstein and his victims for years and did little to help them while Trump pushed for transparency and access to records.

The installation arrives as political and public interest in Epstein’sFiles continues to be a point of contention in Washington. It coincides with resumed calls for Congress to release the full Epstein file, particularly as Trump heads into international engagements and as lawmakers weigh inquiries into who knew what and when. The moment also underscores a broader debate about how societies commemorate controversial figures and how protest art intersects with official diplomacy.

In parallel, protesters have carried demonstrations beyond American soil. Ahead of Trump’s unprecedented second state visit to the United Kingdom, a large banner showing Trump and Epstein was unfurled on the lawn outside Windsor Castle. The banner was removed before the president arrived, but other acts followed, including projections onto Windsor Castle walls as Trump’s plane landed in London. An additional image of Trump and Epstein appeared on a bus stop near the U.S. Embassy in London, installed by the activist group Everyone Hates Elon and later updated to include a quote attributed to Trump from 2002. The note accompanying the birthday image, reportedly a letter signed by Trump addressed to Epstein, allegedly included a drawing and the line: “Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The White House has denied that Trump authored the birthday note while stopping short of calling the documents fake. When asked about the note in a television interview, Trump said, “I don’t comment on something that’s a dead issue.”

The international protests continued to unfold as Trump’s UK visit drew global attention. In Washington, supporters and opponents alike watched as critics highlighted Epstein’s associations with high-profile figures. Amid the uproar, some activists projected images onto historic sites and placed additional memorial-style or satirical works in public spaces, reflecting ongoing tensions over the former president and the disclosures that may accompany them.

Beyond the Capitol installation, the summer also featured a separate art piece in Washington: a sculpture titled Dictator Approved appeared on the National Mall in June 2025. The golden hand giving a thumbs up crushed the top of the Statue of Liberty, its crown cracked and with one spike fallen. Plaques beneath the sculpture displayed quotes attributed to world leaders supporting Trump, including Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, underscoring the intensity and satire that accompany the political moment. The piece added to a climate in which art and protest intersect with national security, foreign policy, and domestic political narratives.

Analysts say the latest Trump-epstein statue underscores a broader pattern in contemporary protest culture: art and public installations are increasingly used to interrogate the former president’s associations and to catalyze public dialogue ahead of major political events. The timing—coinciding with international diplomacy and renewed scrutiny of Epstein-era records—has amplified debates about transparency, accountability, and the role of protest art in shaping public perception.

Timeline and context matter. The newest statue appears as discussions over Epstein’s records intensify on Capitol Hill, with victims and advocacy groups pressing for congressional action to release thousands of pages of documents. This development comes as Trump seeks to maintain momentum on the global stage, navigating questions about past associations while facing fresh inquiries and ongoing political resistance at home and abroad. The installation also follows a host of provocative displays in major capitals that seek to spotlight allegations and historical connections, feeding into a broader conversation about power, accountability, and victims’ rights across borders.

The spectacle has drawn a mix of serious attention and sharp rhetoric from supporters and critics alike. Officials have urged caution in interpreting art as a reflection of policy, but many lawmakers and observers say the installations speak to a larger issue: the enduring controversy around Epstein’s circle and the public’s persistent demand for disclosure and accountability. As political actors continue to debate the significance of these public monuments and the underlying records, the Capitol statue serves as a focal point for conversations about how society remembers figures tied to alleged wrongdoing and how transparency is pursued in high-profile investigations.


A second image below illustrates how protest art has traveled beyond Washington, reflecting a globalization of controversy as figures tied to political power become permanent on the public imagination regardless of their status. As with the Capitol installation, the Windsor Castle act and other related projects are not coordinated by any official entity; instead, they are part of a broader, decentralized discourse about accountability and historical memory in politics.

The emergence of multiple high-profile protest sculptures in recent months highlights a shift in how public spaces are used to challenge political narratives. While some view such works as necessary civic dialogue, others warn that the art can inflame tensions or distort public understanding of complex policy debates. In this climate, stakeholders from lawmakers to museum directors and protest groups will likely continue to grapple with questions about the line between free expression and the responsibilities that accompany influential political figures.