Trump-Epstein Statue Holding Hands Reappears in Washington, D.C.

The statue previously displayed in front of the Capitol in September and October
Now exhibited outside a multi-purpose cultural venue

The statue of U.S. President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, which first appeared in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. last September, has once again been unveiled to the public.

According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 13th (local time), the statue depicting President Trump and the notorious sex offender Epstein holding hands amicably has been newly installed in front of "Busboys and Poets," a prominent multi-purpose cultural venue in Washington, D.C. Starting from this day, the statue, titled "Eternal Best Friends," is a bronze sculpture created by two anonymous artists, satirizing the inappropriate close relationship between President Trump and Epstein.

The statue "Eternal Best Friends," satirizing the inappropriate relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

This statue was previously installed twice on the National Mall in front of the Capitol in September and October, but was removed after its permit expired. When it was first installed, the National Park Service claimed that the issued permit had been violated and removed the statue after just one day. The statue, which was partially damaged during its removal, was repaired and reinstalled at the same location in early October after obtaining a new permit. The sculpture is expected to be displayed in front of Busboys and Poets for the next few days.

Andy Shallal, the owner of Busboys and Poets and a longtime progressive activist in Washington, D.C., said, "On the evening of the 12th, I was contacted by the artists who created the sculpture, asking if it could be displayed here. It was an unexpected request, but we did not hesitate." He added, "We understand the satire and its meaning precisely. While politicians and elected officials tend to fail at telling the truth, art has a way of speaking the truth," explaining the reason for granting permission to display the statue.

Epstein, a former hedge fund manager, died by suicide in prison in 2019 shortly after being arrested on charges of sexually abusing dozens of minors. President Trump, who has been suspected of having a close relationship with Epstein, has acknowledged that they were friends at one point but claims that their relationship soured and ended around 2004. On the 12th, Democratic lawmakers from the House Oversight Committee further fueled the controversy by releasing additional emails suggesting the possibility of President Trump's involvement in Epstein's crimes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.