Trump’s Handpicked Arts Commission Approves Gold Coin With His Face on It - The New York Times
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Trump's handpicked arts commission approved a gold coin bearing his likeness, departing from the historical norm of not featuring sitting presidents.
AI Summary
Trump's handpicked arts commission has approved a gold coin bearing his likeness. The decision comes as the Trump administration has prioritized commemorative coins featuring the president—a practice that marks a departure from historical norms, in which sitting presidents typically do not appear on circulating U.S. currency during their tenure. The approval underscores the administration's broader efforts to reshape federal institutions and their output according to the president's preferences. Commemorative coins, unlike circulating currency, exist in a separate legal framework and do not require congressional approval. The move has drawn scrutiny from government ethics observers and historians who view it as an unusual expansion of presidential imagery during an active term.
What's Being Done
The arts commission approved the coin design, and the approval clears the way for the U.S. Mint to begin production.
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