The National Park Service before dawn removed a statue titled “Best Friends Forever” of President Donald Trump and Jeffery Epstein holding hands, only a day after it was erected on the National Mall.
According to CNN, Patrick, an organizer from “The Secret Handshake” group that placed it, who would only provide his first name out of fear of reprisal, said the group’s security guards were present around 5:30 a.m. when the statue was dismantled.
The Department of the Interior, which oversees NPS, confirmed the statue has been removed, saying in a statement that the statue violated its permit.
On Tuesday, Patrick told CNN he expected it to be up for a week. The statue’s permit allowed it to be on the site until 8 p.m. Sunday. Patrick now believes the Park Service is using a dispute over the height of the statue to remove the provocative display.
The statue of Trump and Epstein appeared on Tuesday with the United States Capitol as its backdrop. The two figures each had a foot kicked back and a hand flailing into the air, and a plaque between the pair titled “In Honor of Friendship Month” reads: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.”
“The statue was removed because it was not compliant with the permit issued,” Interior Department spokesperson Elizabeth Peace told the outlet.
“The Secret Handshake” has previously installed other sculptures on the National Mall.
In 2024, their “The Resolute Desk” and “The Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame” statues went viral, and in June, their “Dictator Approved” statue and another of a golden television appeared.
