WASHINGTON – In the early hours of Wednesday morning, a controversial 12-foot statue depicting former President Donald J. Trump and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein holding hands was removed from the National Mall, just a day after its sudden installation and despite a permit that allowed it to remain through Sunday evening.
In a video posted on the website Reddit, National Park Service employees can be seen carting off the statue in a maintenance vehicle, with US Park Police on scene to assist.
A photo later shows the Trump portion of the statue broken into several pieces.
Titled “Best Friends Forever,” the work portrayed Trump and Epstein in a playful, almost dance-like pose, complete with one raised foot behind each figure. A plaque at its base proclaimed, “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.”
The sculpture bore a permit from the National Park Service, which stipulated that the piece could stay in place until 8 p.m. Sunday. But the U.S. Park Police and NPS later said the work was removed at around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, citing noncompliance with permit terms.
Neither the Park Service, the Park Police, nor the White House immediately offered detailed explanations beyond the assertion that the installation violated the conditions of the permit.
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