A nearly 12-foot golden statue depicting Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein as the doomed lovers from the film 'Titanic' has appeared on the National Mall in Washington DC. The sculpture, titled 'King of the World', shows Trump standing behind Epstein with arms outstretched, facing the Washington Monument from a replica of the ship's bow.
The artwork is the third installation by the anonymous collective 'The Secret Handshake', which has previously erected statues of the pair holding hands and a giant replica of a birthday message allegedly from Trump to Epstein. Plaques accompanying the new statue offer pointed commentary on their past association, referencing 'luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches'.
Nearby, ten banners display a photograph of Trump and Epstein together with the slogan 'Make America Safe Again', each bearing the Department of Justice insignia with the word 'Justice' redacted. The installation's permit reportedly has its end date blacked out, leaving the duration of its display unclear.
The White House condemned the display, with deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson questioning whether wealthy Democrat donors would create similar sculptures of Democrats who associated with Epstein after his conviction. Trump has insisted he was 'totally exonerated' by the release of Epstein-related records and has denied writing a 2003 birthday message to Epstein featuring a nude woman.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Trump has stated they had a falling-out in the mid-2000s and that he knew nothing of Epstein's criminal behaviour.
