A large throne fashioned from a gold toilet has been installed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., serving as a pointed critique of President Donald Trump’s recent renovations to the White House. The installation, created by the art collective known as Secret Handshake, features a toilet as its seat and is adorned with a plaque reading “A Throne Fit for a King.”
The plaque further comments, “In times of unprecedented division, escalating conflict, and economic upheaval, President Trump focused on what truly mattered: the renovation of Lincoln’s bathroom in the White House.”
This artistic piece, which alludes to Trump’s remodeling of the bathroom adjacent to Lincoln’s bedroom, was unveiled on March 30, 2026. The installation includes a roll of toilet paper labeled “Secret Handshake” positioned next to the throne.
Secret Handshake has gained attention for its provocative installations, having placed around a dozen works on the National Mall over the past 16 months, all aimed at critiquing Trump and his supporters. The identities of the individuals behind the collective remain undisclosed, and they utilize a proxy to secure permits for their installations from the National Park Service.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to the installation, stating, “President Trump is making the White House and the entire capital more beautiful than ever before. The President will never stop working on behalf of the American people and fulfilling the promises for which he was elected by a decisive majority.”
Earlier this month, Secret Handshake unveiled another statue depicting Trump embracing the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, recreating a well-known scene from the film Titanic. This piece was installed on March 10, 2026, and follows a previous installation from September 2025, which featured a bronze statue titled “Best Friends Forever,” showing Trump and Epstein holding hands in a jumping pose.
In October 2025, Trump announced plans for the renovation of Lincoln’s bathroom, replacing its 1940s Art Deco style with gold fixtures and “black-and-white polished statuary marble.” Since returning to office last year, Trump has initiated extensive renovations to the White House and the surrounding area.
In the same year, the Trump administration announced the construction of a new ballroom in the East Wing of the White House, aimed at hosting large events for world leaders without the need for temporary tents. Subsequently, the East Wing was entirely demolished, paving the way for the new ballroom’s construction.
In February 2026, Trump announced that the Kennedy Center would close for a two-year renovation starting July 4, 2026, in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Trump expressed confidence that revitalizing and reconstructing the building would make it “undoubtedly the finest performing arts center of its kind in the world.”
A gold toilet throne has been installed on the National Mall as a critique of President Trump's White House renovations. The art collective Secret Handshake has created several provocative installations targeting Trump's actions and policies.