Earlier this week, a guerrilla-style installation titled “A Throne Fit for a King” opened to the public on the National Mall. Facing the Lincoln Memorial, the piece was created by the anonymous art collective Secret Handshake — it is part of a broader series by the group.
The installation features a gold-painted toilet mounted on a pedestal that is designed to resemble a ceremonial throne. Rolls of custom-branded toilet paper were included in the display, with the words “Secret Handshake” printed on every sheet.
A short description on the side of the piece targeted Trump’s renovation of the Lincoln bathroom in the White House during a “time of unprecedented division, escalating conflict and economic turmoil.”
“It stands as a tribute to an unwavering visionary who looked down, saw a problem, and painted it gold,” the description continued.
On a recent day, the installation stole the spotlight from the Lincoln Memorial.
“I need to go really bad,” said George Alder before taking a picture sitting on the throne.
The piece also received mixed reviews from onlookers.
“Is this supposed to say that America is a toilet,” said Eliezer Vreeland, who expressed his disapproval of the piece while waving and pointing to his MAGA hat.
“I love this,” said Alex Pena. “If we were not spending money on renovating a bathroom, we could have free healthcare and education.”
