The Brief A 12-foot statue of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has been placed on the National Mall. A new statue depicting former President Donald Trump and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein holding hands and skipping has appeared on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Why a Trump and Epstein statue appeared on the National MallThe anonymous artist collective calling itself The Secret Handshake claimed responsibility for the work in a statement to The Independent. A plaque at the base reads, "In honor of Friendship Month, we celebrate the long-standing bond between President Donald J. Trump and his closest friend Jeffrey Epstein." Trump’s past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein explainedThe backstory:Trump and Epstein were frequently photographed together at social gatherings in the 1990s and early 2000s.