Trump's new coin sparks debate over 160-year federal law violation
Key Points
- Donald Trump's portrait will be featured on the 1 dollar commemorative coin to be minted for the 250th founding anniversary of the USA.
- Federal laws from 1866 and 2005 prohibit living presidents from appearing on the national currency.
- The Treasury Department states that the coin is based on a different law and that Calvin Coolidge's similar practice in 1926 sets a precedent.
- The court dismissed the case not by finding the coin legal, but because the plaintiff failed to prove sufficient harm.
By the Numbers
The inclusion of President Donald Trump's portrait on the new 1 dollar coin to be minted in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States has sparked a legal debate. Critics argue that featuring an incumbent president on American currency violates long-standing federal laws.
At the center of the debate are the 1866 Thayer Amendment and the 2005 Presidential Coin Act. These laws prohibit the depiction of a living former or current president on currency. However, supporters claim that the said commemorative coin is subject to an entirely different legal framework.
The first lawsuit filed to stop this issue was dismissed by the court not because the coin was legal, but because the plaintiff failed to prove direct harm. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited the example of Calvin Coolidge, who appeared on a coin while alive in 1926, arguing that this practice has a precedent in the past.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did the new coin spark controversy?
- The fact that incumbent President Donald Trump's portrait will appear on the coin contradicts old federal laws prohibiting living individuals from appearing on American money.
- What are the legal obstacles regarding this issue?
- The 1866 Thayer Amendment and the 2005 Presidential Coin Act explicitly prohibit living former or current presidents from being depicted on the national currency.
- What justification does the government show to defend this coin?
- The Treasury Department defends this by stating that the coin falls under a special law for the 250th anniversary and that Calvin Coolidge also appeared on a coin while alive in 1926.
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