What folks wrote in that massive Trump to Epstein birthday card in DC

Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times on Jan 23, 2026

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Nearly 500 people have stopped to sign a giant replica of the birthday card President Donald Trump gave to the convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. The clandestine arts activism group Secret Handshake erected the pop-up monument Monday on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The messages speak volumes about this singular moment in history, and the president who has consumed much of the world’s oxygen for the past decade. Secret Handshake provided The Times with a sampling of its favorite offerings, which I’m listing below. Taken together with the 10-foot-tall card made of plywood and metal piping, the words of passersby represent their own form of protest art.

“Quiet Piggy”

“The Epstein Files is to Trump what Heel is to Achilles”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that.”

“You have ruined so many lives!”

“Shame to all who don’t stand up to him”

“We are all immigrants!”

“CONGRESS - DO SOMETHING!”

“Your MAGA base is becoming disillusioned”

“Do not let the victims be forgotten”

“25th Amendment”

“Where are Republicans?”

“Listen to Women!”

“America’s Worst President”

“The truth will be revealed. Justice will be served.”

“Redacted!”

“It’s WE the people!”

“This is how Trump’s kids found out their dad does send birthday cards”

“We don’t want GREENLAND, what we want is THE EPSTEIN FILES”

“Congress do better for the people - stand up!”

“Do not reject the evidence”

“I hope you get your 25th birthday present!”

“The time is always right to do what is right”

“SEND HELP!”

To date, Secret Handshake has claimed responsibility for five other subversive Trump-related artworks on the National Mall, including a 12-foot statue depicting Trump and Epstein holding hands, titled, “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” which was removed by the National Park Service less than 24 hours after it was put up— only to be reinstalled almost a week later after the group triumphed in a protracted permitting battle. There was also “Poop Desk,” a bronze art installation featuring a pile of feces on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk.

“We’re big fans of birthdays in general because they’re really a time when you can take a moment to appreciate and celebrate the ones you love. And we believe President Trump is as well — he even had a big military parade for his own last year,” Secret Handshake wrote in an email. “So taking a cue from his own seeming love of birthdays, we wanted to step in and help highlight another birthday he allegedly also took the time to celebrate — Jeffrey Epstein’s — by giving it a proper public glow up.

"And just like a birthday card you would pass around an office to sign with well wishes, we felt like this was a really organic opportunity to let the public in on the celebration and have their voice heard,” the group continued. “And finally, we just want to thank President Trump personally for allegedly providing the artwork. It’s not every day that a sitting President is also such a provocative and accomplished artist. Allegedly.”