Donald Trump just might have another meltdown over a devastating blow to his collection of ego-driven statues.
This time, no political rival, comedian, journalist or predecessor will be the source of his irritation. It came from an unlikely source hiding in plain sight.
Now, the group behind some of Washington’s savage Trump-themed stunts has taken its latest installation on tour.
Trump has long chased shiny trophies, repeatedly lamenting his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
This latest one, however, came with a brutal twist right in his hometown.
The Secret Handshake unveiled a 10-foot-tall golden “Iran War Participation Trophy” in New York City’s Foley Square last Wednesday.
The installation mocks the president’s handling of the Iran conflict, according to The Washington Post.
The gaudy statue, spray-painted gold and stamped with a giant #1, sits atop a plaque that reads “The artists hereby award President Donald J. Trump this participation trophy for his enthusiastic involvement in the Iran War.”
The plaque says others worry about “military strategy, diplomacy, or measurable outcomes. Meanwhile, Trump has “demonstrated the courage to participate regardless of the final score.”
View on Threads
The installation first popped up in Washington on July 13 before relocating to Lower Manhattan this week.
More than three dozen smaller mock trophies and ribbons surround the main structure, including a baby blue Honorable Mention ribbon reading “Lost Arizona,” a martial arts trophy labeled “Most Swollen Cankles,” and a tiny gold chess trophy tagged “Smallest Hands Award.”
Additional pieces mocked Trump’s failed Reflecting Pool renovation, including a wooden plaque reading “CAN’T EVEN FILL A POOL RIGHT.”
Sarcastic certificates like the “Epstein Class Community Service Award,” “Junior Ranger Destruction Award,” and “#1 Worst President.” Other trophies included “FIFA Peace Prize” written over duct tape, “Very Stable Genius,” and even a Wrestlemania honor.
The ‘Reflecting Pool Diving Champion’ trophy sent me😂💀 pic.twitter.com/EyCY3cXCdI
— Hadley Sheley (@HadleySheley) July 29, 2026
New Yorkers passing the piece near the courthouses had mixed reactions.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly wasted no time firing back when the trophy first surfaced in Washington.
She blasted the artists as “untalented” beings who “know nothing about” politics in an email statement to TIME.
“These untalented ‘artists’ should stick to their ugly ‘art’ and refrain from weighing in on foreign policy, which they clearly know nothing about, given the fact that the United States military achieved all of its objectives during Operation Epic Fury.”
Social media, naturally, could not get enough.
On X, one user wrote, “I love it because every trophy DJT has received is a participation trophy, lol,” while another admitted, “The ‘Reflecting Pool Diving Champion’ trophy sent me.”
Someone else joked. “Wait….. How much do you want to bet that Trump thinks this is a real trophy and will try to keep it for his collection?”
Many described the trophy installation as a “brilliantly spot on” display of satire and trolling at the highest level.”
WaPo Instagram followers predict chaos once Trump sees it.
“Oh my, he is going to be sooooo mad!” said one person. And one more summed up the joke perfectly: “Knowing trump, he will probably think it’s an actual legitimate award and hold a press conference to accept it.” “BWAHAHAHA,” added another.
That last comment might not even be a joke.
Trump’s obsession with unearned hardware has become a running theme of his second term.
He was caught slipping a commemorative medal into his jacket at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final. He also kept the tournament’s Tiffany & Co. trophy in the Oval Office, claiming FIFA told him he could “have it forever.”
This joke happened after he received a Peace Award from the league after losing out on the Nobel Peace Award.
From medals to trophies to lingering onstage during Spain’s World Cup celebration, the pattern never changes. Yet the Secret Handshake just gave him the golden statue he never earned but clearly always wanted.
Now, the anonymous art collective has handed Trump the one trophy critics say fits him best.
The Secret Handshake has spent the past 20 months mocking him through public art. Its stunts have included a statue of Trump holding hands with Jeffrey Epstein and a tribute to authoritarian leaders.
The group’s members consistently have declined to identify themselves in interviews, insisting the art should speak for itself.
A plaque near the trophy invites the public to keep the joke going, reading, “Visitors are invited to leave behind their own trophies for President Trump. No accomplishment is too distant, too small, or too unearned to bestow on President Trump,” before directing fans to document their contributions online with the hashtag #trophiesfortrump.
The Manhattan unveiling prompted commenters to predict the trophy’s next stop and what major city it will hit next.
Donald Trump just might have another meltdown over a devastating blow to his collection of ego-driven statues.
This time, no political rival, comedian, journalist or predecessor will be the source of his irritation. It came from an unlikely source hiding in plain sight.
Now, the group behind some of Washington’s savage Trump-themed stunts has taken its latest installation on tour.
Trump has long chased shiny trophies, repeatedly lamenting his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
This latest one, however, came with a brutal twist right in his hometown.
The Secret Handshake unveiled a 10-foot-tall golden “Iran War Participation Trophy” in New York City’s Foley Square last Wednesday.
The installation mocks the president’s handling of the Iran conflict, according to The Washington Post.
The gaudy statue, spray-painted gold and stamped with a giant #1, sits atop a plaque that reads “The artists hereby award President Donald J. Trump this participation trophy for his enthusiastic involvement in the Iran War.”
The plaque says others worry about “military strategy, diplomacy, or measurable outcomes. Meanwhile, Trump has “demonstrated the courage to participate regardless of the final score.”
View on Threads
The installation first popped up in Washington on July 13 before relocating to Lower Manhattan this week.
More than three dozen smaller mock trophies and ribbons surround the main structure, including a baby blue Honorable Mention ribbon reading “Lost Arizona,” a martial arts trophy labeled “Most Swollen Cankles,” and a tiny gold chess trophy tagged “Smallest Hands Award.”
Additional pieces mocked Trump’s failed Reflecting Pool renovation, including a wooden plaque reading “CAN’T EVEN FILL A POOL RIGHT.”
Sarcastic certificates like the “Epstein Class Community Service Award,” “Junior Ranger Destruction Award,” and “#1 Worst President.” Other trophies included “FIFA Peace Prize” written over duct tape, “Very Stable Genius,” and even a Wrestlemania honor.
The ‘Reflecting Pool Diving Champion’ trophy sent me😂💀 pic.twitter.com/EyCY3cXCdI
— Hadley Sheley (@HadleySheley) July 29, 2026
New Yorkers passing the piece near the courthouses had mixed reactions.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly wasted no time firing back when the trophy first surfaced in Washington.
She blasted the artists as “untalented” beings who “know nothing about” politics in an email statement to TIME.
“These untalented ‘artists’ should stick to their ugly ‘art’ and refrain from weighing in on foreign policy, which they clearly know nothing about, given the fact that the United States military achieved all of its objectives during Operation Epic Fury.”
Social media, naturally, could not get enough.
On X, one user wrote, “I love it because every trophy DJT has received is a participation trophy, lol,” while another admitted, “The ‘Reflecting Pool Diving Champion’ trophy sent me.”
Someone else joked. “Wait….. How much do you want to bet that Trump thinks this is a real trophy and will try to keep it for his collection?”
Many described the trophy installation as a “brilliantly spot on” display of satire and trolling at the highest level.”
WaPo Instagram followers predict chaos once Trump sees it.
“Oh my, he is going to be sooooo mad!” said one person. And one more summed up the joke perfectly: “Knowing trump, he will probably think it’s an actual legitimate award and hold a press conference to accept it.” “BWAHAHAHA,” added another.
That last comment might not even be a joke.
Trump’s obsession with unearned hardware has become a running theme of his second term.
He was caught slipping a commemorative medal into his jacket at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final. He also kept the tournament’s Tiffany & Co. trophy in the Oval Office, claiming FIFA told him he could “have it forever.”
This joke happened after he received a Peace Award from the league after losing out on the Nobel Peace Award.
From medals to trophies to lingering onstage during Spain’s World Cup celebration, the pattern never changes. Yet the Secret Handshake just gave him the golden statue he never earned but clearly always wanted.
Now, the anonymous art collective has handed Trump the one trophy critics say fits him best.
The Secret Handshake has spent the past 20 months mocking him through public art. Its stunts have included a statue of Trump holding hands with Jeffrey Epstein and a tribute to authoritarian leaders.
The group’s members consistently have declined to identify themselves in interviews, insisting the art should speak for itself.
A plaque near the trophy invites the public to keep the joke going, reading, “Visitors are invited to leave behind their own trophies for President Trump. No accomplishment is too distant, too small, or too unearned to bestow on President Trump,” before directing fans to document their contributions online with the hashtag #trophiesfortrump.
The Manhattan unveiling prompted commenters to predict the trophy’s next stop and what major city it will hit next.
