A massive replica of a birthday note and crude drawing signed with the typed name Donald J. Trump and a “Donald” signature that was part of a 2003 book of birthday wishes for the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was placed on the National Mall early Monday morning, the latest installation of artwork critical of the president by a group that identifies itself as “The Secret Handshake.”
The group, whose members are anonymous, has previously placed installations at the same location, including a statue of Trump and Epstein holding handsand skipping, a mock tribute to Trump from the world’s authoritarian leaders and a replica of the desk of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) with a pile of fake excrement on it that ridiculed the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who sought to overturn the 2020 election.
The new installation, located on the Mall on Third Street NW between Jefferson and Madison drives, stands 10 feet high by 12 feet wide. A National Park Service permit will allow the work to remain at that location through Friday.
Trump has denied writing the note and has told reporters that the signature is not his. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new installation.
In front of the replica card is a stack of marble blocks made to resemble a filing cabinet, with each drawer labeled “The Files” and overflowing with hundreds of strips of paper. Atop the files is a box of Sharpies and an invitation for visitors to sign the card with a message to the administration. It notes, “Please refrain from any promotional, violent or hateful speech or it will be removed.”
The towering placard replicates the message found in a “birthday book” given to Epstein for his 50th birthday by friends and acquaintances. It was one of a tranche of documents released in September by the House Oversight Committee that it had received from Epstein’s estate.
The sketch is of a woman’s nude form and includes a dialogue between “Donald” and Epstein, ending with a handwritten signature and the typed words “Donald J. Trump” above it.
The exchange between “Donald” and “Jeffrey” appears inside the contours of a woman’s body. “We have certain things in common, Jeffrey,” “Donald” says. “Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?”
“Happy birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” “Donald” ends the note.
Last year, Trump sued the Wall Street Journal and others at the news organization, alleging defamation after the newspaper published its story revealing the letter. The case is pending in federal court in Miami.
On its permit application, the artists wrote that the purpose of the work was “to use creative and artistic free speech about one of the most relevant political issues of this moment, and to highlight the conversation about President Donald Trump’s friendship and relationship with Jeffrey Epstein using his own reported language and correspondence. As well, to highlight the heavily redacted files that have been released and those that haven’t.”
The Mall was quiet Monday morning as the nation took a day off to honor Martin Luther King Jr. By midmorning, there were just a few messages written on the giant card, all with negative sentiments toward the president.
“Looking forward to your jail sentence, DJT!”
“The people will rise. We already are.”
D.C. resident Susan Fritz, 61, stopped to take a look during her morning run. “What I really like about it is that they didn’t have to make anything up. They just had to blow it up and put it out here.”
But she was pretty sure the installation’s message would not be received well by the administration.
“I’ll be surprised if it stays up,” she said.
“I think everyone should see it,” said Anders Williams, 45, who stopped in front of card on his way to the Air and Space museum with his wife and young child. “It shows that someone lived in a very different world from the rest of us at some point. It’s just weird.”
Ying Yong, 33, also from the District, said he spotted the card from a distance and came over to check it out.
“It’s great, it’s hilarious,” he said. “Nothing more to be said.”
A woman bundled up against the morning cold said she was a federal worker and declined to provide her name. But she wanted to comment on the new installation, so she picked up a Sharpie and approached the card.
On it she quoted King. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.”
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