An anonymous art collective recognized for sharp political satire targeting President Donald Trump has unveiled a Veterans Day-themed monument on the National Mall. The sculpture portrays the former commander-in-chief massaging his foot, directly referencing the bone spur diagnosis that kept him out of the Vietnam War draft in 1968.

Introducing The Foot Soldier Monument

Baptized as “The Foot Soldier,” the provocative artwork was installed along Madison Drive NW, positioned between 7th and 9th Streets in Washington D.C., directly across from the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.

The installation features Trump seated atop a granite pedestal while tending to an aching heel, accompanied by a plaque bearing two distinct inscriptions.

“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 second inscription highlights a direct quote from Trump himself: “I can be very military.”

This remark stems from a decade-old social media post shared by Trump alongside a vintage snapshot of himself flanked by his parents at the New York Military Academy, an institution he graduated from in 1964. His accompanying caption stated: “#TBT Myself with mother and father at New York Military Academy. See, I can be very military. High rank!”

The Secret Handshake Collective Speaks Out

The clandestine art group operating under the moniker The Secret Handshake claimed full responsibility for the guerrilla installation, confirming it would remain on display through Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

In a statement, the collective noted that an individual attired in a 6-foot-tall bone spur mascot costume “will be on hand to celebrate Trump’s unique history with military service and pay tribute to The President’s feet.”

History of the 1968 Draft Exemption

Trump initially registered with the Selective Service at age 18 in 1964, just prior to the sharp escalation of the Vietnam War draft and expanding ground troop deployments. He subsequently secured four educational draft deferments while pursuing studies at Fordham University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Once those academic exemptions expired, Trump obtained a medical waiver exempting him from military duty following a heel bone spur diagnosis. Years later, the daughters of Queens podiatrist Dr. Larry Braunstein revealed that their late father issued the medical diagnosis as a professional courtesy to his landlord, Trump’s father. According to the accounts, Braunstein received direct access to the elder Trump for building upkeep and rent stabilization favors, despite intimating to his own relatives that the young Donald Trump exhibited no actual disqualifying physical condition.

A History of Guerrilla Political Art

The Secret Handshake has consistently deployed unauthorized, oversized installations targeting Trump since the previous fall. Their past controversial works include:

  • Best Friends Forever: A 12-foot tall resin, foam, and wood sculpture featuring Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, grinning broadly, and kicking up their heels.
  • King of the World: A piece depicting Trump and Epstein locked in a Titanic-style embrace.
  • A Throne Fit for a King: A 10-foot golden toilet monument satirizing Trump's opulent aesthetic while referencing the Guggenheim Museum's satirical offer to lend a golden toilet during his initial term.
  • Iran War Participation Trophy: A 10-foot tall trophy erected in July in close proximity to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.