A puzzling art installation in front of the U.S. Capitol is irritating President Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters. It’s the second in a series of bizarre works that have appeared at the National Mall in recent weeks.
This latest installment is a life-size, golden-painted television set on top of a concrete-looking pedestal with a bald eagle perched on top, wings spread, and golden ivy adorning the sides. The TV plays a 15-second video loop that shows, among other famous Trump dance moves, his awkward slow-grinding shimmy and stiff, sporadic jerks, including a shot of the president partying with financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein committed suicide in prison in 2019.
The TV is pointed at the Capitol. A plaque at the bottom of the statue reads, “In the United States of America, you have the freedom to display your so-called art, no matter how ugly it is – The Trump White House, June 2025.”
That’s a quote from a White House statement issued last week after the first mysterious art piece appeared. That one, called “Dictator Approved,” showed a giant gold hand giving the thumbs-up sign, smashing the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Around the base of the pedestal were plaques with the names of Trump’s famous dictator friends: Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán and Jair Bolsonaro.
It’s unclear who is behind the provocative sculptures, but one thing is clear: the White House is not happy about it.
“Wow, these liberal activists masquerading as ‘artists,’ are dumber than I thought!” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson told The Washington Post.
“I’ve tricked them into taking down their ugly sculpture and replacing it with a beautiful video of the President’s legendary dance moves that will bring joy and inspiration to all tourists traversing our National Mall. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
“Maybe they will put this on their next sculpture,” Jackson added.
While the artist may be a mystery, the organizer’s permit application said the artwork’s objective was “to demonstrate freedom of speech and artistic expression using political imagery,” The Post reported.
As expected, social media was flooded with outrage and humor.
“A gold TV playing a loop of the dictator dancing has appeared on the National Mall,” Joe Flood posted on X.
And another X user wrote, “He’ll blame Canada and Mexico or maybe Iran for the embellishment. If nothing works then the 4th option is ‘lunatic Commies.’”
“When will it be taken down and destroyed?” a MAGA member wondered.
Trump supporters were disturbed by the installation.
“It is ugly art, inspired by an ugly person.”
The installations are similar to those that appeared last fall in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon.
“That’s how you out petty the petty king,” one Instagram user summed it up.
