A gilded tribute to Trump’s bone spurs appears on the National Mall

Just prior to Veterans Day, a new sculpture has risen on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to lampoon one of President Donald Trump's conscription exemptions during the Vietnam War. The Foot Soldier, an anonymous art ensemble, fashioned a seated Trump with one shoe removed, gazing down at his bare foot.

The collective explained that the sculpture was modeled after a Lincoln Memorial-style depiction, with Trump embodying a military bearing. However, instead of Lincoln's contemplative gaze, Trump fixates solely on himself. The wooden, plastic, and rebar statue is situated at Madison Drive NW, between 7th and 9th streets, opposite the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and will be on display until November 11.

The Secret Handshake has previously created satirical installations on the National Mall, targeting Trump's associations with Jeffrey Epstein, his management of the Iran war, and his interior design tastes. This time, they targeted the president's avoidance of service. Trump received several deferments, including one in 1968 at age 22 due to bone spurs in his heels. His daughter claimed in 2018 that the diagnosis was a courtesy from her father's podiatrist.

The statue's base bears a plaque stating: "We honor the service and sacrifice of our Commander in Chief, Donald J. Trump. He's a soldier in spirit, who marched to the front lines of dodging the draft, armed with a perfect diagnosis of bone spurs. We salute a leader who knows you can't spell sacrifice without 'I,' and a warrior who reminds us that sometimes when you're called to stand up, it's best to just sit down and rest your feet."

The statue also features a 6-foot-tall, interactive bone spur mascot named "Toey," adding a humorous touch to the parody.