Kamal Ghorui
A satirical statue depicting US President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a pose inspired by the film Titanic appeared on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.The sculpture was titled “King of the World” and shows figures representing Trump and Epstein standing at the bow of a ship, recreating the famous scene from the 1997 movie in which characters Rose and Jack stand at the front of the ship with outstretched arms. The statue stands about 12 feet tall and is painted gold.The installation was created by anonymous artists known as “The Secret Handshake.” The group has previously placed other artworks on the National Mall referencing the relationship between Trump and Epstein.The statue was installed near the US Capitol area of the National Mall and faces the Washington Monument. Several banners placed nearby show photographs of Trump and Epstein together along with the slogan “Make America Safe Again.”A plaque attached to the sculpture contains satirical text referencing the romantic storyline of Titanic. The inscription describes a “tragic love story” built on “luxurious travel, raucous parties and secret nude sketches,” drawing a comparison to the alleged relationship between Trump and Epstein.People visiting the National Mall stopped to look at the statue and take photos. The piece is one of several protest artworks by the same group focusing on Donald Trump’s past links to Jeffrey Epstein.Trump has previously said he knew Epstein socially in Florida but said the two had a falling out in the mid-2000s. He has also said he was not aware of Epstein’s criminal conduct and pedophilia. Epstei is a financier who was convicted of sex-related crimes who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges.The White House criticised the statue. A spokesperson suggested the installation reflected political hypocrisy and questioned why similar artworks had not been created about other figures linked to Epstein.The National Mall has often been the site of protest art and temporary installations about political and social issues.
