An enormous copy of a birthday message bearing Donald Trump’s identify that was included in a set of letters gifted to the late convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein many years in the past has been erected on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
The work is most up-to-date set up by a bunch that identifies itself as “The Secret Handshake.” One half of the 10-foot-tall set up is a replica of the observe bearing Trump’s identify that was half of a collection of letters gifted to Epstein within the early 2000s. The observe contained an overview of a unadorned lady and a “Donald” signature, concluding with the road: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
The different aspect of the cardboard reads “Happy Birthday To A ‘Terrific Guy!’” Epstein’s birthday is January 20. A close-by plaque encourages onlookers to signal the cardboard with a message to the Trump administration.
According to a press release from The Secret Handshake, the set up appeared in a single day on Sunday and is permitted till Friday, January 23. NCS has reached out to the National Park Service for extra particulars.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the note in July final 12 months, and Trump has denied that he signed the letter and having a detailed relationship with Epstein. The president sued the paper over the story. Trump has additionally prompt another person might’ve written it and signed his identify.
Trump has not been accused of authorized wrongdoing associated to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 whereas awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking expenses.
The e-book’s contents, launched in trove of paperwork by the The House Oversight Committee in September, spanned Epstein’s life earlier than 50, from delivery and Cub Scout paperwork to photographs of artwork in his costly personal residences and black-and-white household portraits. The so-called “birthday book,” was compiled by Epstein affiliate Ghislaine Maxwell and likewise included intensive notes and photographs about personal moments and jokes.
The statue’s arrival on the National Mall comes because the administration faces stress to proceed to launch extra of the Epstein recordsdata. The Justice Department mentioned earlier this month mentioned that it had released 12,285 documents – lower than 1% – of the recordsdata, with greater than 2 million paperwork nonetheless being reviewed. Legislation signed into regulation final 12 months had set a December 19, 2025 deadline to launch all of the Epstein-related recordsdata.
In the autumn, The Secret Handshake collective erected a statue exhibiting Trump and Epstein every with a foot kicked again and a hand flailing into the air, titled “Best Friends Forever.”
Other statues by The Secret Handshake have included “The Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame,” a bronze statue of a tiki torch, which appeared at Freedom Plaza to mock Trump’s defense of the marchers who attended a White supremacist rally in 2017. Another work on the National Mall, “Dictator Approved,” depicted a golden hand giving a thumbs up and crushing the Statue of Liberty’s crown.
NCS’s Nicky Robertson, Emily Condon and Kaanita Iyer contributed to this report.