Was a projection of Epstein and trump projected onto Windsor tower

Checked on January 18, 2026
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Executive summary

Yes — multiple news outlets reported that images of Donald Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto a tower of Windsor Castle on the night of Sept. 16, 2025, in a stunt claimed by the activist group Led By Donkeys that led to four arrests on suspicion of malicious communications [1] [2] [3].

1. The stunt: what was projected and who claimed responsibility

The projection carried several images and short films linking Trump to Epstein, including photos of the two men together, a purported birthday letter allegedly from Trump to Epstein, images of Epstein’s victims and other newspaper extracts, and was accompanied by a recorded soundtrack questioning the relationship; the British guerrilla campaign group Led By Donkeys said it was behind the action and described it as a short documentary about “the story of Trump and Epstein” [2] [4] [5].

2. Where and how it happened

The projections were displayed on an external tower of Windsor Castle during President Trump’s state visit to the U.K., with activists reportedly using a powerful 32,000-lumen projector from a hotel room opposite the castle and a hidden Bluetooth speaker for audio, producing a mapped image on the cylindrical surface for roughly nine to ten minutes before police intervened [6] [5] [4].

3. Police response and legal framing

Thames Valley Police said officers “responded swiftly to stop the projection” and arrested four adults on suspicion of “malicious communications following a public stunt in Windsor”; the arrests were widely reported and the individuals were later bailed as the force continued an investigation [1] [3] [6].

4. Media coverage and consistency across outlets

Major international outlets — Reuters, BBC, NBC, Time, Vanity Fair, MSNBC, Axios, USA Today and others — reported the same core facts: images of Trump and Epstein were projected on Windsor Castle, Led By Donkeys took responsibility, and four people were arrested in connection with the unauthorised projection [1] [3] [7] [8] [4] [9] [10] [11].

5. What was contested: the letter’s authenticity and legal accusations

Coverage consistently noted that the White House denied the authenticity of the birthday letter that was projected and that Trump has not been criminally accused in connection with Epstein’s crimes; multiple outlets flagged the discrepancy between the projection’s implications and the legal record concerning Trump [2] [3] [9].

6. Motive, context and competing narratives

Led By Donkeys framed the stunt as guerrilla journalism intended to prod public discussion about a state visit hosted at public expense and to juxtapose royal pomp with allegations tied to Epstein; critics — including police — characterized the act as an unauthorised “public stunt” and treated it as potentially criminal communications, illustrating the clash between protest art and public-order enforcement [2] [1] [10].

7. Aftermath and broader significance

The projection became part of a larger media moment around the state visit, amplifying questions about political figures’ ties to Epstein that were already in public debate, and it demonstrated how activist groups use spectacle to force coverage; reporting also noted that the projection echoed previous Led By Donkeys actions and sparked discussion about proportionality of police action [4] [5] [6].

8. Limits of available reporting

Public reporting establishes that the images were projected onto Windsor Castle and that arrests followed, but source materials do not provide a final legal determination about the suspects’ guilt, nor do they settle questions about the provenance or forensic authenticity of the letter displayed; those matters remain outside the scope of the cited articles [1] [2] [3].

Want to dive deeper?
What legal charges can UK police bring for unauthorised projections on public buildings?
How has Led By Donkeys staged previous projection protests and what were the outcomes?
What is the status and provenance of the birthday letter allegedly from Trump to Epstein?