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Gilded statue in DC mocks Trump for ‘dodging’ Vietnam war draft over bone spurs
A gilded statue mocking Donald Trump’s Vietnam War draft deferment was installed on Washington’s National Mall shortly before Veterans Day. The work, titled *The Foot Soldier*, satirises his bone-spur diagnosis and draws attention to longstanding allegations that he avoided military service.
Created by the anonymous artists’ group Secret Handshake, the statue shows Trump sitting and rubbing his bare foot, beside a six-foot toe mascot called Toey. Its plaque jokes that Trump was a “soldier in spirit” who marched to the front lines of dodging the draft. Trump received a bone-spur diagnosis after graduating from college and deferred the draft in 1968; the White House dismissed the installation as the work of Democratic activists. The artists said it would remain on the Mall through Veterans Day.
In short
- A statue on the National Mall mocks Trump’s Vietnam draft deferment.
- The work satirises his bone-spur diagnosis.
- It is due to remain through Veterans Day.
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The case for
Supporters of the statue could argue that political satire is a legitimate way to scrutinise a powerful public figure and draw attention to questions about how he obtained a draft deferment. Its timing near Veterans Day may prompt discussion about military service and accountability, while its absurd imagery signals that it is commentary rather than a neutral historical display.
The case against
Critics could argue that mocking an individual’s medical diagnosis and draft deferment risks trivialising both disability and the experiences of people who served or were unable to serve. They may also see the installation near Veterans Day as needlessly provocative, especially when the circumstances of the deferment are contested and the work’s partisan message could overshadow a more careful discussion.
Explained simply
During the Vietnam War, the United States used conscription, known as the draft, to call men into military service. Donald Trump received several deferments while studying and was later classified as medically unfit because of bone spurs in his heels; the diagnosis excused him from service.
The episode has remained part of debate about Trump’s record and his comments on military service. The National Mall in Washington is a public space where monuments and memorials commemorate the country’s history, including the service of its armed forces.
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