The Secret Handshake installed a 10-foot replica of an alleged birthday card bearing the name “Donald” and a sketch of a naked woman on the National Mall. The work — on view through Jan. 23 — reproduces a note first reported by The Wall Street Journal and drawn from documents released in a House Oversight Committee trove. Trump denies signing the card; authorities have released only a fraction of Epstein-related files while more than 2 million documents remain under review.
10-Foot Replica Of Alleged ‘Donald’ Birthday Note To Epstein Erected On National Mall
People look at a protest art installation on the National Mall on January 19 in Washington, DC. - Alex Brandon/AP
A 10-foot-tall reproduction of an alleged birthday card that includes the name “Donald” and an outline of a naked woman has been installed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The oversized card, created by the activist collective The Secret Handshake, is intended as a public provocation tied to ongoing calls for the release of Jeffrey Epstein–related records.
One face of the installation reproduces a note that was reportedly part of a set of letters given to Epstein in the early 2000s. That side shows a sketch of a naked woman and the signature “Donald,” ending with the line: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The reverse reads: “Happy Birthday To A ‘Terrific Guy!’”
The group said the work appeared overnight and has permission to remain on the Mall through Friday, Jan. 23. A nearby plaque invites visitors to add messages directed at the Trump administration. CNN has contacted the National Park Service for additional details.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the note in July 2023. President Donald Trump has denied signing the card or having a close relationship with Epstein; he has suggested someone else may have written and signed the message and sued the Journal over its reporting. Trump has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
The Dome of the US Capitol Building is visible behind a statue depicting President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, placed on the National Mall on Thursday, in Washington, DC. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The card is part of material that the House Oversight Committee released in a trove of documents last September. The files — covering aspects of Epstein’s life before age 50 — include birth records, Cub Scout documents, photographs of art from his residences, family portraits and a so-called “birthday book” compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell that contains notes, photos and private jokes.
The installation arrives amid renewed pressure on authorities to make more Epstein-related records public. The Justice Department said earlier this month that it had released 12,285 documents — less than 1% of the collection — while more than 2 million documents remain under review. Lawmakers last year set a statutory deadline of Dec. 19, 2025 for disclosure of the remaining files.
The Secret Handshake has placed other provocative works in Washington in recent months. Last fall the collective unveiled a statue titled “Best Friends Forever,” showing Trump and Epstein together; other pieces include “The Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame,” a bronze tiki torch installed at Freedom Plaza, and “Dictator Approved,” a sculpture of a gold hand crushing the Statue of Liberty’s crown.
Reporting contributions: CNN’s Nicky Robertson, Emily Condon and Kaanita Iyer.
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