WASHINGTON DC: The United States Treasury Department has released a draft design for a $1 commemorative coin featuring President Donald Trump, ahead of America’s 250th Independence Day celebrations in 2026.
Images shared on Friday, October 3, 2025, by U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach on X (formerly Twitter) show Trump’s profile on the front of the coin, alongside the words Liberty and 1776–2026.
The reverse design depicts Trump raising a clenched fist before the American flag, with the inscription Fight, Fight, Fight a reference to his words after surviving an assassination attempt in 2024.
A Treasury spokesperson said the draft reflects the enduring spirit of the country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles, but stressed that afinal design has not yet been approved.
The proposal has triggered heated debate over its legality.
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A 2020 law authorizing $1 coins for the U.S. semiquincentennial prohibits the use of a “head-and-shoulders portrait” or any “living person” on the reverse side.
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A longstanding 1866 law also bars the portrait of living persons on U.S. currency, though this typically applies to paper money.
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Some experts argue the reverse design’s wider illustration of Trump is an attempt to sidestep the ban on bust portraits.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if Trump had seen the coin. I’m not sure if he has, but I’m sure he’ll love it, she responded.
For now, the Treasury says updates on the final coin design will come only after the resolution of the ongoing partial government shutdown.
The announcement has sharply divided opinions online:
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Supporters hailed Trump as a strong man whose image rightly symbolizes America’s resilience.
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Critics called the proposal a joke and compared it to authoritarian cults of personality.
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Others mocked the irony, noting that Americans often criticize African leaders for clinging to power symbols.
The commemorative coins are scheduled for release in 2026, coinciding with national celebrations marking 250 years of American independence.
