A new statue has popped up on the National Mall, courtesy of a mysterious group that goes by the name The Secret Handshake. A 12-foot piece of art shows President Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands and prancing together. Organizers say it’s “in honor of Friendship Month,” which is apparently this month. The plaque on the statue reads “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.”
Apparently, the president is not amused by the installation; a White House spokesperson told TMZ, “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.”
The fact is, this satire points to an inconvenient truth. It’s reminding the president that the Epstein story has not disappeared, no matter how many times he refers to it as a “hoax.”
When Trump was running, he was all for transparency about Epstein. He and his top advisers went on podcasts and promised to expose the associates, the files, the so-called “client list.” Then he won the election, and the tone changed: the Justice Department concluded there was no single “client list” to release, and the administration quietly pulled back on wider disclosures. That backpedal didn’t settle anything — it only made people angrier and more suspicious.
What matters now isn’t gossip; it’s documents and accountability.
The House Oversight Committee released parts of Epstein’s “birthday book,” including a crude note that has been tied to the president — a detail Trump denies, but one that fuels the pile of questions. Reporters later described a “truckload” of related documents that the DOJ reviewed, and members of Congress keep pushing to force those files into the light.
So when the FBI director, under pressure in Congress, starts literally reciting his ABCs instead of answering whether Trump’s name was in the files, it raises alarms.
That moment further convinced the American people what many have been saying for months: we’re not getting straight answers.
Rep. Thomas Massie and others are using procedural tools to try to force a vote to release the rest of the files. If that succeeds, he believes released documents may show new, politically dangerous connections.
“I think it’s going to be embarrassing to some of the billionaires, some of the donors who are politically connected to his campaign,” the Kentucky Republican said. “There are probably intelligence ties to our CIA and maybe to other foreign intelligence, and the American people would be shocked to know that our intelligence agency was working with a pedophile who was running a sex trafficking ring.”
So whether you think the statue on the Mall is art, protest or just a prank, it speaks to what many Americans are demanding: share everything you know about Epstein and his connections. Until every relevant file is released — including bank records — and every question is answered, every new denial will look like a distraction. And every distraction will only deepen the suspicion.
Call it accountability theater or call it justice delayed, but make no mistake: until the truth comes out, this saga is going to follow Donald Trump everywhere he goes.
Lindsey Granger is a News Nation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.
