“Best Friends Forever” Statue of Trump and Epstein Quietly Removed

A controversial 12-foot-tall statue titled “Best Friends Forever,” depicting President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, was removed early Wednesday morning from the National Mall by the National Park Service, just a day after it was installed.

According to The Washington Post, the installation was removed for not being “compliant with the permit issued,” though Interior Department spokesperson Elizabeth Peace did not specify how the artwork violated the terms.

The bronze statue, which included a plaque celebrating the “long-lasting bond” between Trump and Epstein, was approved under a permit issued on Sept. 16 and was supposed to remain in place until Sunday at 8 p.m. The application had cited freedom of speech and artistic expression as its purpose.

Carol Flaisher, the manager who filed the permit on behalf of the artist, said she was startled by the removal. “I did not get 24 hours notice. I got nothing,” she told The Washington Post, adding that she received a 5:30 a.m. call from security about the takedown.

Per the permit terms, the Park Service is required to give 24 hours’ written notice before revocation. In a video obtained by The Washington Post, a Park Service official claimed the statue exceeded the approved size, citing the base height as a discrepancy. Flaisher acknowledged the base was not included in the original specs, but said no concerns were raised during installation.

The artists, who remain anonymous, have previously created politically charged sculptures critical of Trump. This is the first of their works to be forcibly removed.

Tourists and locals expressed disappointment. “It’s another indication of the deterioration of free speech,” said Nigel Collie, a visitor from Portland. Sara Daimes, a local, added, “I give big points to the person or group that’s doing” the installations.

The Trump-Epstein relationship has long been scrutinized. Though once friendly, Trump has publicly distanced himself since 2004. After Epstein’s 2019 arrest on sex trafficking charges, Trump said: “I wasn’t a fan.”

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson dismissed the statue as partisan provocation. “It’s not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump,” she said in a statement, claiming Trump had “kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep.”