A mysterious new bronze statue called ‘Best Friends Forever’ has appeared on the east end of the National Mall in Washington DC and it’s taken the capital by storm. Tourists are swarming the installation which depicts two “infamous” men happily holding hands, grins on their faces and feet kicked up in the air in a joyous display. What makes this statue remarkable is the fact that it is clearly meant to poke fun at the intimate and supposed “friendship” between US President Donald Trump and deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The satirical, spray painted statue popped up in Washington DC on Tuesday Sept 23 with a plaque that read, “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.” The statue will be allowed to be on display till 8PM on Sunday via a permit provided by the National Park Service.
Though the creator of the statue remains unknown, it is a clear dig at the US President for his past friendship with Epstein who was a convicted sex trafficker and known pedophile. This particular issue has been contentious among even Trump’s most loyal supporters and has caused divisions among the usually united MAGA crowd; it’s stubbornly stuck to Trump’s reputation, despite him repeatedly trying to quell information about his connection to Epstein.
The Epstein connection
Donald Trump’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein goes way back in the day. The incumbent US President, then a businessman and a media personality, had intimate ties with the financier since the late 1980s and through the early 2000s, calling him a “terrific guy” and taking several trips on his private jet according to flight logs released during an associate’s trial. They would frequent each other’s properties regularly and according to eye-witnesses constantly flirt with and compete for women. For his 50th birthday in 2003, Ghislaine Maxwell, co-conspirator and then-girlfriend of Epstein compiled a birthday book with messages and letters from Epstein’s closest friends.
According to a WSJ report, Several high profile celebrities such as Bill Clinton, Peter Mandelson, Vera Wang and others made an appearance in the book, penning personal notes to the late financier. A note allegedly written and signed by Donald Trump featured a drawing of a nude woman and a typewritten message in which Trump remarked that the two had “certain things in common” and that “enigmas never age,” ending with: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
When the alleged note was first reported by WSJ in July this year, The President said it was a “fake thing” and denied having ever written it. He subsequently filed a lawsuit against News Corps owner Rupert Murdoch, along with the paper’s reporters, publisher and executives, seeking $10 billion in damages. At the time, the WSJ had only released a description of the note, not the note itself. However, a version later released by a US House Committee—among a trove of documents that included Epstein’s will and personal address book—matched the description precisely.
The latest in a series of statues
The ‘Best Friends Forever’ installation is just the latest in a series of statues which were installed criticising the US President. Several others mocking him have already made appearances in public spaces. One featured a bronze pile of feces placed on a congressional desk to “praise” Jan. 6 rioters, while another, titled “Dictator Approved”, depicted a thumbs-up crushing the Statue of Liberty’s crown, its base decorated with quotes praising Trump from leaders such as Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Jair Bolsonaro, and Viktor Orbán.
A blistering response by the White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson, reflected Trump’s feelings on the matter:
“Liberals are free to waste their money however they see fit – but it’s not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep.”
