US President Donald Trump is set to appear on a 24-karat gold coin marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, a move that has prompted legal and political questions. The design shows Trump leaning on the Resolute Desk with clenched fists and would be only the second instance of a living president on a U.S. coin; Calvin Coolidge appeared alongside George Washington on commemorative coins minted in 1926 for the 150th anniversary.
The US Commission on Fine Arts approved the coin’s design at its March 19 meeting, and minting will proceed once final dimensions are determined. “As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump,” US Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement to FOX Business.
Federal law prohibits living presidents from appearing on US currency, but Beach said the proposed coin would be a commemorative piece separate from circulating money and that the Treasury Secretary has sole discretion over final design and authorization.
Democrats criticized the plan as unbecoming and contrary to democratic norms. “Monarchs and dictators put their faces on coins, not leaders of a democracy,” Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) told The Washington Post.
The coin is expected to join other special-edition currencies and medals released for the 250th anniversary. Critics view it as part of Trump’s broader efforts to leave his imprint on Washington, citing earlier renamings of the Kennedy Center and additions of his name to the U.S. Institute of Peace building, as well as proposals to alter White House grounds, including a visitor screening center and demolishing the East Wing to build a ballroom.
