It only lasted a day but the statue of President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands on the National Mall left a longstanding impression.
Just a day after the installation of a statue on the National Mall showing Trump and the late disgraced financier and convicted child sex offender Epstein smiling at each other, the U.S. Park Police removed it Wednesday morning.
The artists behind the statue reportedly said they had a 28-day permit to exhibit the piece.
In a statement to WTOP News, a representative from the U.S. Department of the Interior said, “The statue was removed because it was not compliant with the permit issued.”
When asked for comment on the compliance issue, the spokesperson declined to comment.
Trump Admin destroyed Epstein Handshake statue this morning!
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The plaque on the statue read, “In Honor of Friendship Month, we celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.”
September has been recognized as international friendship month.
The statue was installed by an anonymous art collective calling itself “The Secret Handshake,” who said the creation is a statement of free speech. It is constructed from wood, foam and resin, and finished to look like a traditional monument.
“The Secret Handshake” arrived the week after another statue depicting Trump showed up on the Mall. That statue featured the president holding a giant Bitcoin and was erected by a group of crypto investors who hoped “to ignite conversation about the future of government-issued currency.”
Dozens of people gathered around the statue on Tuesday to take photos and selfies of the art installation that surprised people passing by. It quickly went viral this week.
Reactions ranged from amused to uneasy, with some correctly predicting the statue would not stay in place for long. Still, the unexpected artwork had already become a pop-up attraction, drawing steady foot traffic.
“I’m glad we got to see it, I don’t think it will be here much longer,” joked Julie, who was visiting from Germany on Tuesday.
WTOP’s Heather Gustafson contributed to this report.
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