The moniker came from a tradition in which service members challenged one another to produce their coins. I’m sure the next one will say ‘Made America Great Again.’?”Ĭhallenge coins got their start as military baubles bearing division insignia and presented by officers to troops for exemplary service. I’m sure there will not be just one coin during his tenure. Asked why the campaign slogan was included, a White House aide replied: “That’s central to the message. “For the commander in chief to give a political token with a campaign slogan on it to military officers would violate the important principle of separating the military from politics, as well as diminishing the tradition of the coin,” said Trevor Potter, a Republican former chairman of the Federal Election Commission.Īides said the coin reflects a president determined to make good on his promises to the American public. Some ethics experts questioned the unprecedented decision to include a campaign slogan on the coins, which are often distributed to members of the military. White House officials declined to say how much the coins cost or who designed them. Aides were not authorized to comment on the record and spoke on the condition of anonymity. “They’re going to be used in ways they haven’t been in the past,” said the second White House aide, adding that they may be distributed at campaign rallies and to donors. An RNC spokeswoman confirmed last week that the party is paying for the coins. The White House offered conflicting accounts of which funds were used to purchase the coins, with one aide saying they were paid for by the White House and a second aide later saying that the Republican National Committee is covering the expense. Trump, who also had a hand in creating his famous red campaign hat, “wanted to weigh in on it,” the aide said. The aide said the president, whose real estate properties are known for their gilded displays of wealth and status, was personally involved in redesigning the coin. And forget the traditional subdued silver and copper: Trump’s coin, a White House aide marveled, is “very gold.” In addition to his signature, Trump’s name appears three times on the coin, which is thicker than those made for past presidents. Instead, both sides of the coin feature Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” And the national motto, “E pluribus unum” - a Latin phrase that means “Out of many, one” - is gone. The 13 arrows representing the original states have disappeared. The eagle’s head faces right, not left, as on the seal. The presidential seal has been replaced by an eagle bearing President Donald Trump’s signature. Now, the presidential “challenge coin” has undergone a Trumpian transformation. For two decades, the commander in chief has doled out distinguished-looking coins as personal mementos.
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