A provocative political art installation appeared on Washington’s National Mall on March 10, 2026, depicting President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein in a parody of the iconic Titanic movie pose between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet at the stern of the ship.
In this nearly 12-foot-tall statue spray-painted in gold and titled “The King of the World,” Trump stands behind Epstein on a sculpted ship’s prow, gazing toward the Washington Monument. At the base of the statue is a plaque that reads: “The tragic love story between Jack and Rose was built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches.” It added, “This monument honors the bond between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.”
Meanwhile, roughly ten large banners flanked the installation on the National Mall, featuring images of Trump and Epstein, alongside the slogan “Make America Safe Again” and a doctored insignia resembling that of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Secret Handshake told WUSA9 the installation’s ten banners mirror the administration’s aesthetic. They described 2026 as a “banner year” for Trump, referencing the giant presidential portraits that have become a fixture on D.C.’s federal architecture.
Who took credit — and their past works
The work is credited to an anonymous artist collective known as “The Secret Handshake.” According to multiple news outlets, the group has installed previous satirical sculptures in Washington, all to provoke discussion about Trump, Epstein, and the intersecting spheres of wealth, power, and accountability.
One notable prior installation by the collective was a Sept. 2025 statue titled “Best Friends Forever”, showing Trump and Epstein holding hands and frolicking together. Park authorities removed the piece within 24 hours, citing permit compliance issues. Secret Handshake later reinstalled it during the October 2025 government shutdown.
The Secret Handshake also reportedly installed a replica of a controversial birthday card supposedly related to Trump and Epstein earlier in 2026.
“The Trumptanic is sinking fast”
Comments on the latest Secret Handshake installation included, “😂 I love this. That ‘King of the World’ Trump-Epstein Titanic statue popping up on the National Mall is hilarious. Two big names doing the exact ‘I’m flying!’ pose? The artists really went all out on this wild idea. These pop-up things keep showing up, and I’m here,” for every one of them, the comment said.
Another added, “Priceless. The Trumptanic is sinking fast, but still NOT FAST ENOUGH! Who were the heroes who did this? Release the Epstein files…including the ones the DOJ is hiding to protect pedophiles.”
Abigail Jackson, Trump’s deputy press secretary, told The Washington Post, “When will these wealthy Democrat donors create sculptures of Democrats who continued to solicit money and meetings from Epstein after he was convicted as a sex offender?”
As the “King of the World” statue draws crowds on the National Mall, it follows the provocative “Walk of Shame” installation that appeared in Farragut Square on March 1, 2026. It’s unclear if Secret Handshake is responsible.
This work consisted of waterproof “stars” pasted onto the sidewalks, modeled after the Hollywood Walk of Fame and featuring the names of high-profile figures—ranging from tech moguls like Bill Gates and Elon Musk to retail giant Les Wexner—whose names appear within the millions of pages of the recently released Epstein Files.
Published: Mar 12, 2026 07:05 am