Scathing 10-Foot 'Iran War Participation Trophy' Appears In DC To Mock Trump For 'Enthusiastic Involvement' In Iran War

President Donald Trump was criticized by a group of anonymous artists called Secret Handshake that unveiled a massive gold participation trophy in Washington, D.C. that mocks the president for starting the war in Iran.

Photos of the statue have gone viral as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate. Trump announced he would scrap a proposed 20% reimbursement fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Gulf nations would instead increase investments in the United States.

U.S. Central Command said it would resume its naval blockade later in the day, while an Iranian security official warned Tehran would deliver a "devastating response" if the U.S. targeted the suspected underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain.

Meanwhile, the conflict has spread beyond Iran, with Tehran launching strikes against U.S. allies in the region, including Kuwait. The renewed hostilities have rattled energy markets, sending benchmark Brent crude to its highest level in more than a month.

The "Iran War Participation Trophy" can be seen on the National Mall near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Painted gold and embossed with a "#1" on one side, it bears the word "Participant" in raised block lettering across its base.

A plaque below reads:

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

“President Trump joins the ranks of children everywhere who received recognition for simply showing up. We join you in celebrating this remarkable achievement.”

You can see the photos below.

@AaronParnas/X

@AaronParnas/X

The group behind the installation, known as The Secret Handshake, has declined to identify its members in interviews with The Washington Post. The collective has previously staged a series of provocative public art displays across the nation's capital.

Among its past installations are a statue depicting Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, a mock monument portraying Trump as celebrated by authoritarian leaders, and a replica of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk topped with fake excrement that satirized the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol rioters.

Each of the group's previous exhibits received permits from the National Park Service and was displayed at high-profile locations on the National Mall, including sites directly overlooking the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly criticized the installation, saying the 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."

It was exactly the sort of scathing satire we need right now—and people had much to say about the installation.

A new Economist/YouGov poll found that most Americans oppose U.S. military involvement in Iran, with 57% saying going to war was the wrong decision and 27% saying it was the right one.

Opinion remains deeply divided along partisan lines. MAGA Republicans overwhelmingly support the decision, with 77% backing the war and just 5% opposing it. By contrast, only 5% of Democrats approve while 89% say it was the wrong move. Independents also oppose the conflict by a wide margin, 85% to 13%. Among Republicans, attitudes differ depending on political identity.

While 63% of Republicans overall support the war, Republicans who do not identify as MAGA are more likely to oppose it than support it, with 51% calling it the wrong decision compared with 31% who say it was the right one.

The poll also shows opposition has grown since April. At that time, 51% of Americans said going to war was the wrong decision and 30% supported it. The latest results widen that gap, with net support falling from -21 points to -30.