A provocative satirical statue titled “The King of the World” depicting US President Donald Trump embracing late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, in an iconic Titanic-style bow pose appeared on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. PICS/AFP
Updated On: 2026-03-11 08:23 PM IST
Compiled by : Divya Nair
The sculpture includes a plaque mockingly describing the bond between Trump and Epstein as a "tragic love story" built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches
The nearly 12-foot golden sculpture is placed by anonymous artists (previously responsible for a "Best Friends Forever" hand-holding installation)
Trump and Epstein developed a documented social relationship starting in the late 1980s, centered in elite New York and Palm Beach circles, where they attended parties together. Their friendship ended in a falling out around 2004–2007, with Trump claiming he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after Epstein allegedly harassed a teenage member or tried to poach staff
Epstein, convicted in 2008 for procuring a minor for prostitution and arrested in 2019 for sex trafficking minors, died by suicide in jail; recent 2026 Department of Justice (DOJ) releases under the Epstein Files Transparency Act include FBI interview summaries with an accuser alleging Trump sexually assaulted her as a minor after introduction via Epstein in the 1980s, but these claims remain uncorroborated, unproven, denied by Trump, and the DOJ has noted some submissions contained "untrue and sensationalist claims"
Large banners featuring images of Trump and Epstein were also part of the setup, placed near official "Make America Safe Again" signage for contrast.