Treasury Defends Plans for $1 Trump Coin

The Treasury Department is defending its decision to mint a $1 coin featuring President Trump's likeness on both sides, brushing off critics who say the move flouts a Civil War-era law that bars living people from appearing on American money. The controversy erupted after draft designs for the coin—a project tied to America's upcoming 250th birthday—were made public last week. The 1866 law at issue was originally intended to keep the nation from looking like a monarchy, after a Treasury official once slipped his own face onto a five-cent note.

In a statement, Treasury officials argued the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 gives them the green light for the Trump coin. The department says coins "with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial" are allowed under the law's provisions for special commemorative coins. "On this momentous anniversary, there is no profile more emblematic for the front of this coin than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump," the Treasury Department said in a post on X. Draft images show Trump's profile on one side, with the reverse depicting him after last year's assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, standing before an American flag, fist raised, alongside the words "Fight, Fight, Fight."

The coin would be legal tender. Legal questions still loom, since the 2020 law does ban portraits of living people on the "tails" side of coins—precisely what the current draft shows. That could leave the matter for courts to resolve. The Hill reports that Democrats including Rep. Ritchie Torres have raised objections. In a statement, the New York lawmaker said he plans to introduce the TRUMP Act, which stands for The Restrict Ugly Money Portraits Act. "America's money should only feature big, beautiful faces—not big, ugly faces," he said.