WASHINGTON — A political art collective known as The Secret Handshake has installed a large-scale protest display near the U.S. Capitol, featuring a 10-foot-tall birthday card referencing an alleged message sent by President Donald Trump to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The installation appeared overnight along 3rd Street Northwest, across from the Capitol grounds between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive, and is timed to coincide with Epstein’s birthday on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
One side of the oversized card bears the message, “Happy birthday to a ‘terrific guy!’” According to organizers, the display is intended to draw attention to past allegations and documented associations involving Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges. The other side of the card reproduces the contents of a birthday note that House Democrats publicly released in September 2025, which they attributed to Trump. The reproduced message includes a crude sketch and handwritten text referencing shared “secrets,” and is signed with Trump’s name at the bottom.
Next to the card, organizers placed a sculptural arrangement of stacked boxes designed to resemble redacted files, accompanied by several markers. A plaque affixed to the display states that the installation invites the public to reflect on what the group describes as the “intimate correspondence” between Trump and Epstein. Visitors are encouraged to write messages directly onto the card, which the group says is meant to serve as a form of public commentary directed at the current administration.
In a written statement, organizers said the markers were intentionally provided so passersby could add “their own personal message” in response to the display’s theme. The installation, they said, is designed as participatory protest art rather than a static exhibit. The group confirmed the display is scheduled to remain in place on the National Mall until Friday, Jan. 23, barring any intervention by authorities.
This is not the first time The Secret Handshake has staged controversial protest art connected to Trump and Epstein. In September, the group installed a statue on the National Mall depicting the two men holding hands and skipping together. That statue quickly drew public attention and crowds, but was removed overnight by U.S. Park Police, who cited an alleged permit violation. The installation briefly reappeared about a week later before being taken down again by the group in early October.
A subsequent version of the statue was displayed in November outside a restaurant and bookstore in Northwest Washington, coinciding with the release of additional documents that renewed public scrutiny of Trump’s past interactions with Epstein. Each appearance of the artwork has generated debate over the boundaries of political expression, the use of public space for protest art, and the lingering questions surrounding Epstein’s network of powerful associates.
The latest birthday card installation continues that approach, using scale, location, and timing to attract attention from lawmakers, tourists, and residents alike. As with previous efforts by the group, the display has already drawn onlookers and sparked discussion about accountability, transparency, and the role of art in political protest in the nation’s capital.
