Giant Statue Mocking Trump's War in Iran Draws Attention in D.C.

A golden statue titled the “Iran War Participation Trophy” is the latest piece of art to appear on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in protest of President Donald Trump.

The giant installation has drawn attention since it was first spotted on Monday, with passersby stopping to read the lengthy inscription on the mock award.

“We hereby award President Donald J. Trump this participation trophy for his enthusiastic involvement in the Iran war,” reads the plaque at the base of the statue. “While some concern themselves with military strategy, diplomacy, or measurable outcomes, President Trump demonstrated the courage to participate regardless of the final score.”

“As the recipient of this prestigious award, President Trump joins the ranks of children everywhere who received recognition for simply showing up,” the plaque continues.

An accompanying plaque from the Secret Handshake, the anonymous artist collective behind the installation, encouraged visitors to leave more participation trophies for the President. As such, smaller trophies have since been placed at the base of the statue. 

In an emailed statement to TIME, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “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.”

The Secret Handshake told TIME on Wednesday that the statue should be on the Mall “for the next several days” and described it as “an attempt to de-escalate the conflict through positive reinforcement.” 

On July 10, Trump sent Congress a formal notification that the U.S.-Iran war had resumed. The Trump Administration views this notification as the start of a new 60-day window whereby the U.S. can engage in military action against Iran without seeking congressional approval. 

The Democratic Party strongly disagrees, with lawmakers referencing how both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed War Powers Act resolutions last month aimed to restrict Trump from continuing the war.

Democrat Sen. Adam Schiff of California on Monday called for Congress to “reassert its war powers authority” and filed a new War Powers Resolution.

Senate Democrats further showcased their objection to the resumption of the war by blocking an annual defense policy bill on Tuesday. With a vote of 50-46, the National Defense Authorization Act fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance.

Meanwhile, the Iran war-related trophy is just the latest form of protest art to appear in D.C. since Trump returned to office last year.

In June 2025, a sculpture titled “Dictator Approved” was placed on the National Mall. The statue depicted a golden hand giving a thumbs up and crushing the head of the Statue of Liberty. 

Beneath the sculpture, various plaques read messages of support for the President from world leaders. “President Trump is a very bright and talented man,” read one quote attributed to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Another, attributed to North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, read: “The extraordinary courage of Donald Trump.”

In September, a sculpture depicting the President holding hands with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein appeared outside the U.S. Capitol. 

An accompanying plaque read: “In honor of friendship month, we celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend’ Jeffrey Epstein.”

The sculpture appeared amid growing calls for Congress to release the full Epstein files. At the time, Trump's former relationship with the offender proved to be a key point of contention in the discourse.