Political activists projected a giant image of U.S. President Donald Trump standing with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto the walls of Windsor Castle, the British king’s official residence, as Trump arrived in the United Kingdom on a state visit.

Why It Matters

Trump has been embroiled in controversy over his administration’s handling of the so-called Epstein files and the scandal over the president’s ties to the disgraced financier—who died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges—refuses to fade.

The projection of the image on Windsor Castle, where Trump is due to meet King Charles on Wednesday, and an earlier unfurling of a huge version of the same image, will ensure that Epstein remains in the headlines.

The scrutiny is frustrating for a president who would rather the public focus on his push to overhaul immigration, or on his efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

What To Know

The image of Trump and Epstein standing together was projected onto the walls of the 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening, shortly after Trump flew in on his second state visit to the United Kingdom.

British police said four people had been arrested “on suspicion of malicious communications following a public stunt in Windsor.”

“We take any unauthorised activity around Windsor Castle extremely seriously,” Chief Superintendent of Thames Valley Police Felicity Parker said in a statement.

“Our officers responded swiftly to stop the projection and four people have been arrested,” she said. “We are conducting a thorough investigation with our partners into the circumstances surrounding this incident.”

Earlier in the day, protesters unfurled a huge version of the same photograph of Trump posing with Epstein, on the Long Walk, a large expanse of grass and trees, outside Windsor Castle.

An activist group called Everyone Hates Elon released a photograph of the giant image’s unfurling, and also posted it on Instagram with the message: “WELCOME TO WINDSOR CASTLE DONALD TRUMP.”

Earlier in the year, the group posted fake advertisements around London, mocking Elon Musk and his Tesla car company.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump are due to arrive at Windsor Castle for an official welcome on Wednesday morning, then spend a day of pomp and ceremony with the king and other members of the royal family, before an overnight stay at the royal residence west of London. Trump spent Tuesday night at the residence of the U.S. ambassador.

Trump’s association with Epstein dates to the early 1990s, when both men moved in the same social and business circles in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City.

By the mid-2000s, however, Trump began publicly distancing himself from Epstein. He has said that he barred Epstein from Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Palm Beach club, over a dispute involving Epstein’s behavior toward a young woman.

Epstein died by suicide in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

What People Are Saying

Trump told reporters on Sunday: “The trip to the U.K. is going to be incredible.” He said Windsor Castle is “supposed to be amazing,” adding, “It’s going to be very exciting.”

Trump, referring to public attention on the Epstein case, said in July: “People should really focus on how well the country is doing.”

“I don’t really follow that too much,” he said, when asked about the Justice Department’s search for evidence. “It’s sort of a witch hunt.”

What Happens Next

Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom—he also made one during his first term as president—begins in earnest on Wednesday morning with a royal welcome at Windsor Castle.