A pair of U.S. senators are hoping to stop plans by the U.S. Treasury to mint a special $1 dollar coin for the 250th birthday of America – with Donald Trump’s image on it.
Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Tuesday introduced legislation that would prohibit the government from minting a coin with the image of a sitting or living president. The bill is called the Change Corruption Act.
“President Trump’s self-celebrating maneuvers are authoritarian actions worthy of dictators like North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, not the United States of America,” Merkley said.
“We must reject his efforts to dismantle our ‘We, The People’ republic and replace it with a strongman state by demanding strong accountability to prevent further abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
As reported at Fox Business, the U.S. Mint has displayed possible designs for the special coin on its website under the heading “Semiquincentennial $1 Coin Candidate Designs.” It would be a collector’s coin rather than a fully minted coin.
“Despite the radical left’s forced shutdown of our government, the facts are clear: Under the historic leadership of President Donald J. Trump, our nation is entering its 250th anniversary stronger, more prosperous, and better than ever,” a Treasury spokesperson told the network when the coin was announced in October.
“While a final $1 dollar coin design has not yet been selected to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial, this first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles. We look forward to sharing more soon,” the statement continued.
The initial draft image depicts Trump in front of a U.S. flag, fist raised, as he appeared after he was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, last year.
The current “candidate” designs on the U.S. Mint website include more traditional head-shot poses of the president.
The Treasury Department has the legal authority to mint $1 collectible coins, including for occasions such as observance of the U.S. semiquincentennial.
Fox reports the U.S. Mint’s two most recently issued commemorative coins were the Harriet Tubman and Greatest Generation coins issued in 2024, which sold a total of 56,894 and 79,980 coins, respectively.
The bill is unlikely to receive a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate any time soon.
