Donald Trump has initiated a series of ambitious projects in Washington, D.C., including the renovation of the White House’s East Wing and plans for a grand ballroom. This proposal fits within a larger vision he has proposed as our country heads towards the 250th anniversary of our independence. Among these, the most controversial of plans is the decision to include his likeness on commemorative gold coins. The National Park Service’s move has drawn a firestorm of public backlash.
Let’s not forget that in October, Trump started demolishing the East Wing of the White House to build himself a gigantic ballroom. This new venue is expected to be the site of major civic and national celebrations, fortifying the White House’s ability to provide hospitality befitting of such occasions. Private donors, not taxpayers, are funding the ballroom project. Whatever else one may think about this new philanthropic experiment, it raises key questions about the influence of private funding on public spaces.
In addition to the ballroom, Trump is pursuing a plan to erect a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Perhaps even more than the current ballroom renovation, this project speaks to Trump’s wish to leave his own permanent stamp on the nation’s capital.
Trump’s impact on the city surely reach beyond his architectural legacy. He’s already plastered his face across the federal government’s buildings in Washington, D.C., draping giant banners to install his visage. He’s made sure to closely associate himself with prestigious institutions. These are the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Mint is already preparing to mark the United States’ 250th birthday. As part of that effort, they are developing a new gold coin that prominently features Trump’s likeness. On one side of the coin is a regal bald eagle. On the flip side, it features a wide-eyed Trump making an intense fist-forward pose and a cocked eyebrow side-eye. This collage mimics a dramatic black-and-white photo by the award-winning photographer Daniel Torok. You can catch this stunning effort on view as well at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
This initiative faces legal challenges. Federal law prohibits showing likenesses of living presidents on U.S. currency. Nonetheless, Trump’s administration is barreling forward with an effort to create a $20 commemorative gold coin and a new $1 coin with his likeness on it.
Chamberlain Harris, who worked for Trump, invoked optimism about the project’s potential. Harris conceded that the narrative around Trump is indeed surging and formidable. Then she added that Trump likes a big coin, “the bigger the better.” She highlighted the precedent-setting nature of putting the current, sitting president on a coin. That’s a great way to honor such a momentous year in a proper fashion.
Despite these lofty ambitions, there is a fair amount of resistance to Trump’s plans. Senator Jeff Merkley expressed vehement opposition to the proposal. He continued, “Monarchs and dictators put their faces on coins, not leaders of a democracy.” His comments show the fear of what it would mean if we did indeed honor a living president in this way.
Donald Scarinci, an longtime expert on U.S. Mint affairs, weighed in with cautious optimism on the mintage of both coins. We’re nevertheless quite confident they’ll dive ahead and mint both coins. What you need to understand
The designs for the coins must be approved by the Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. It’s still unclear whether or not they’ll get approved.
Megan Sullivan, an aide who helped design the coin, reflected on her experiences. She went on to describe how the secretary of the Treasury had laid this design, and several others, out before the president in order for him to choose one. The explicitness of the above statement serves to underscore Trump’s personal hands-on role in determining precisely how he wants future generations to remember him.
Yet as these plans roll out, they further inflame controversy over their suitability and impact on American democratic ideals. Clearly, one of the Trump administration’s priorities is to cement the ex-president’s legacy through monumental architecture and commemorative coins. Though his supporters will identify with many of these efforts, critics warn that they threaten America’s leadership.
