‘King of the World’ statues of Trump and Epstein appear near US Capitol

a sculpture depicts Donald Trump Standing shoulder to shoulder with disgraced financiers Jeffrey Epstein It was installed on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in protest.The large statue, titled “King of the World,” went viral on social media and recreates the iconic pose from the 1997 film “Titanic,” in which the film’s main character stands on the bow of the ship with arms outstretched.A plaque at the base of the sculpture references the film while criticizing the alleged connection between the two men. “The tragic love story between Jack and Rose is built on lavish travels, raucous parties and secret nude sketches,” it reads. “This monument commemorates the bond between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.”Behind the statue, a row of banners displayed photos of Trump and Epstein along with the slogan “Make America Safe Again.”The installation is the latest piece of protest art from anonymous activist group Secret Handshake, The New Republic reports, The Independent reports. In September, the group briefly erected another sculpture showing Trump and Epstein holding hands near the Capitol before authorities removed it.Secret Handshake has also hosted other politically themed installations, including a statue mocking those involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and a large replica of a birthday letter Trump allegedly sent to Epstein.Scrutiny of Trump’s alleged past ties to Epstein has intensified since the Justice Department began releasing documents under the Epstein Documents Transparency Act, which was signed into law last November.Earlier this month, the Justice Department released additional documents mentioning the 79-year-old president. They include three internal memos summarizing an FBI interview with a woman who accused Trump of sexual assault. White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt dismissed the claim as “completely baseless” and “lacking credible evidence.”Trump himself has repeatedly said he distanced himself from Epstein in the years before his arrest and has denied any wrongdoing, calling the controversy a political “hoax” pushed by Democrats.