Satirical Trump statue appears in Washington: Why it installed before Veterans Day
Photo: Trump statue "The Foot Soldier" in Washington (photo: instagram.com/usatoday)
Artists drew inspiration from the Lincoln Memorial, while a character in a giant toe costume greeted passersby near the pedestal. On the National Mall in Washington, the anonymous art group The Secret Handshake has installed a satirical sculpture of Donald Trump titled "The Foot Soldier." The golden figure depicts the US president sitting on a pedestal and holding his bare right foot. In this way, the artists referenced one of the five draft deferments Trump received during the Vietnam War, reports The Washington Post.
What does "The Foot Soldier" look like
The sculpture was installed on November 9 across from the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden, two days before Veterans Day in the US.
The figure was constructed from foam, plastic, wood, and rebar, and painted gold. The temporary installation was planned to remain on display through November 11.
In a letter to Fast Company, the artists explained that they imagined what a monument to Trump in the style of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial might look like.
In their version, the president is grimacing and looking down at his own foot.
The creators said that they had wanted the sculpture to have a grand, military appearance.
Next to the pedestal performed Toey, a performer in a giant toe costume complete with black hairs and a red bunion.
He approached visitors and joked with them about military service.
What is written on the pedestal
The English name The Foot Soldier refers to an infantryman. However, the word foot also means the body part, so the name is a pun alluding both to military service and to the way the artists depicted Trump holding his foot.
On the plaque, the artists ironically noted his "service and sacrifice" and mentioned the diagnosis he associated with his medical deferment.
"Sometimes when you’re called to stand up, it’s best to just sit down and rest your feet," the inscription on the pedestal reads.
The plaque also features a quote from a 2013 post by Trump himself. At the time, he published a photo with his parents in which he was wearing the parade uniform of the New York Military Academy, and wrote that he could "act in a military manner."
Why Trump received five deferments
Between 1964 and 1968, Trump received four draft deferments related to his studies at Fordham University and the University of Pennsylvania.
After graduating, at the age of 22, he received a fifth deferment based on a medical examination. In 2016, Trump explained to The New York Times that the reason was bone spurs on his heels.
The Secret Handshake has previously installed satirical sculptures on the National Mall.
In September 2025, a work titled "Best Friends Forever" appeared there, depicting Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands. It was removed the following day.
