Trump’s Presidential Coin

David Nakamura and Lisa Rein, reporting for The Washington Post:

For two decades, the commander in chief has doled out distinguished-looking coins as personal mementos. Now, the presidential “challenge coin” has undergone a Trumpian transformation.

The presidential seal has been replaced by an eagle bearing President Trump’s signature. The eagle’s head faces right, not left, as on the seal. The 13 arrows representing the original states have disappeared. And the national motto, “E pluribus unum” — a Latin phrase that means “Out of many, one” — is gone.

Instead, both sides of the coin feature Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

The changes don’t stop there. In addition to his signature, Trump’s name appears three times on the coin, which is thicker than those made for past presidents. And forget the traditional subdued silver and copper: Trump’s coin, a White House aide marveled, is “very gold.”

After linking to this on Twitter yesterday, someone asked if I actually thought this was important. The coin in and of itself? No, of course not.

Do I think this coin is emblematic of the fact that Trump suffers from narcissistic personality disorder? Yes. And that is a profound problem — and one that our nation, collectively, is in denial about. I mean just look at the fucking thing. Trump’s name is on one side of it three times, using a bigger font than for “President of the United States of America”.

The item I posted earlier about Trump’s reportedly racist remarks about Haitians and Nigerians is outrageous and makes me angry. I’m not outraged or angry about the coin. I actually think it’s an honest and accurate reflection of Trump — but that reflection is of a self-obsessed narcissist. His mental unfitness is a bigger problem than his racism.

★ Saturday, 23 December 2017