A gold-painted statue of Donald Trump clutching his right foot surfaced Monday on the National Mall, two days before Veterans Day. The anonymous artists behind the installation say the piece skewers the president’s Vietnam War-era draft deferments for bone spurs.
How The Secret Handshake created its latest Washington protest installation
The Secret Handshake, a collective of anonymous artists, planted the statue near the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden. The statue shows Donald Trump seated, grimacing, and gripping his right foot. A sign reads “The Foot Soldier,” while a plaque mocks his military record and quotes Trump saying, “I can be very military.”
Trump has been honored with a new statue on the National Mall! The Foot Soldier depicts the draft dodger and his bone spurs. From the Secret Handshake. https://t.co/qwPtzDXg9M
— Joe Flood (@joeflood) November 9, 2026
For those not in the know, Donald Trump received five deferments during the Vietnam War—four for college and one for bone spurs. The group’s statement said it wanted to recall “a time when Donald Trump would do whatever it takes to stay out of combat.”
The collective has installed more than a dozen pieces acro...