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Welcome to The Logoff: Donald Trump may be getting his wish: an oversized gold coin with his face on it.
What is happening? On Thursday, the American Art Commission signed off on a proposed plan for a new commemorative 24-karat gold coin to mark America’s 250th birthday this summer. On coin: Trump, bowing, leaning on his desk.
The size of the coin is still to be decided, but ideally, Trump could go for a larger option — a coin three inches in diameter (more than three times the size of a quarter).
Can he do it? Probably. As the AP points outthere is a law that says living presidents cannot appear on coins. There is also another specific currency committee that should get a voice; has refused to consider Trump’s currency.
But the US Mint is part of the Treasury Department, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent can approve new coins regardless.
The Commission of Fine Arts, which approved the design, is also included in Trump’s favor (one recently appointed member, Chamberlain Harris, is a Trump White House aide). Last month, the commission also agreed Trump’s proposed design to replace the East Wing.
What is the context? This is an unsurprising combination of two of Trump’s favorite things: gold and himself.
what is the main picture? As my former colleague Abdallah Fayyad wrote last yearTrump’s (re)branding ambitions are bigger than any building or coin. Instead, it’s an attempt to subvert traditional American beauty with her own beauty and cement herself as — maybe. of – a permanent symbol of the United States.
And so, it’s time to leave…
Hi readers, happy spring equinox! (It was this morning, a little before 11 am.)
I enjoyed it this story from the New York Times (it’s a giveaway link) about how New Yorkers spent the week preparing for the Eid al-Fitr holiday to mark the end of Ramadan, which is today. To those who celebrate, Eid Mubarak! Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you back here on Monday.
