# Golden Trump Statue Appears on National Mall Mocking Draft-Dodging Claims An anonymous art group installed a satirical statue highlighting the president's Vietnam-era medical exemption. - **Source:** [Los Angeles Times – World & Nation](https://www.latimes.com/world-nation) - **Published:** 2026-11-09 - **Topic:** [culture](https://brifing.si/c/culture) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/bac09f45-e396-4502-bb74-ebfa5c037523 ## Satirical Statue Unveiled The anonymous activist group Secret Handshake installed a giant golden statue titled The Foot Soldier on the National Mall. The sculpture depicts President Trump rubbing a bare foot, directly referencing the 1968 bone spurs diagnosis that granted him a medical exemption during the Vietnam War. It remains on public display through Veterans Day. ## Mocking Presidential Service A plaque on the granite pedestal sarcastically honors the president as a soldier in spirit who marched to the front lines of avoiding the draft. The text mocks his military history, suggesting that when called to stand up for service, the president chose to sit down and rest his feet instead. ## Interactive Mascot Addition The installation features a live performer in a toe suit named Toey, described as a draft-dodging mascot. Toey interacts with visitors by making remarks about the president's military avoidance, functioning similarly to a minor league baseball mascot designed to energize crowds and draw attention to the group's specific political message regarding service. ## History of Protest Art Secret Handshake has placed over a dozen anti-Trump statues on the National Mall in recent years. Their previous works include a 10-foot-tall Iran War participation trophy and a playable video game titled Operation Epic Furious, which satirized the commander in chief's decision-making processes regarding military conflicts and personal habits like ordering soda. ## Context of Recent Elections The statue appeared shortly after midterm elections where dissatisfaction with the ongoing war in Iran helped Democrats gain control of Congress. The group stated their goal is to contrast the president’s current focus on waging wars with his historical efforts to avoid combat during his own youth in the late sixties. ## Political Climate Shifts The installation serves as a visual critique of the president’s efforts to reshape Washington according to his personal aesthetic preferences. Despite his party losing control of Congress, the administration continues to pursue aggressive foreign policies, prompting artists to use public spaces to highlight perceived hypocrisies regarding military service and national sacrifice. ## Artistic Protest Mechanisms By utilizing the National Mall, the group leverages a high-visibility location to reach tourists and policymakers alike. The use of gold-colored materials and mocking plaques is a recurring stylistic choice for Secret Handshake, intended to provoke dialogue about the intersection of presidential power, military history, and the current state of national affairs. ## Public and Political Impact While the statue is a temporary installation, it reflects broader public sentiment regarding the current administration's military engagements. As the nation approaches Veterans Day, the presence of Toey and the golden figure forces a public conversation about the legitimacy of leadership and the historical record of those who hold the highest office. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-11-09/trump-statue-rubbing-foot-bone-spurs-secret-handshake — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._