Trump faces scrutiny for using the presidential seal at a memecoin event as lawmakers urge the DOJ to probe potential violations of federal ethics laws.
President Donald Trump is facing scrutiny after speaking at a private event for top investors in his $TRUMP memecoin while standing behind a lectern emblazoned with the official presidential seal, a move that legal experts warn may violate federal law.
The event, held Thursday evening at Mar-a-Lago, was exclusively for individuals who had invested at least $50,000 in the cryptocurrency bearing Trump's name. Video footage from the gathering shows the president delivering remarks about the digital currency's performance while the presidential seal was prominently displayed both on the lectern and as a digital backdrop.
Legal Concerns
Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 713) prohibits the display of the presidential seal "for the purpose of conveying a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States." Violations can result in fines or up to six months imprisonment.
"This appears to be a textbook violation," said Richard Painter, former chief ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration. "The presidential seal represents the office, not the individual, and using it at an event promoting a private investment that personally benefits the president creates exactly the false impression of government endorsement that the law aims to prevent."
The White House Communications Agency typically controls the use of the presidential seal at official events. It remains unclear who authorized its use at the cryptocurrency gathering.
Congressional Response
In response to the incident, a group of 28 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Marcus Williams on Friday urging the Department of Justice to investigate potential violations of federal ethics laws.
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