The United States Commission of Fine Arts, a federal agency, has approved plans for a commemorative gold coin featuring a portrait of former President Donald Trump. The commission, composed largely of Trump appointees, voted unanimously in favor of minting the coin on Thursday. However, federal law prohibits the depiction of living presidents on U.S. currency. Commission members argued that the coin, as a commemorative item, may sidestep this rule, but critics have denounced it as unlawful and inappropriate for a sitting leader, highlighting ongoing legal and ethical debates.
Critics, including Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, have condemned the initiative, comparing it to practices of monarchs and dictators. In an interview with Reuters, Merkley stated, "Monarchs and dictators put their faces on coins, not leaders of a democracy." Additionally, the Trump administration has advanced plans for a $1 coin bearing his image, further fueling legal controversies. The bipartisan Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee has previously pushed back against efforts to mint Trump-themed coins, indicating internal resistance within federal bodies.
The gold coin is set to feature a bald eagle on one side and Trump on the other, leaning with both fists on a table and staring straight ahead. This image is a facsimile of a black-and-white photograph taken by photographer Daniel Torok and displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Trump aide Chamberlain Harris, appointed to the arts commission earlier this year, described the portrait as "very strong and very tough" and indicated Trump's preference for the largest possible coin size, up to 7.6 centimeters.
Since taking office for a second term, Trump has sought to leave his mark on the federal government through various means. Beyond the coins, he has placed his name on institutions like the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, actions that are subject to ongoing lawsuits. Furthermore, his face has been displayed on banners on government buildings in Washington, D.C., and city architecture is being altered to reflect his tastes, such as the demolition of the White House's East Wing for a ballroom.
The Trump administration has pitched many of these changes as part of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations, culminating this July. At Thursday's meeting, officials repeated this argument to justify the gold coin. Harris said, "I think it's fitting to have a current sitting president who's presiding over the country over the 250th year on a commemorative coin for said year." Nonetheless, these efforts face sharp criticism from legal experts and politicians, underscoring deep political polarization and raising questions about the erosion of democratic norms in the U.S.
Source: www.aljazeera.com