Bills Introduced to Glorify Donald Trump's Image
Reported by The Washington Post
Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have been introducing a series of bills that "praise" President Donald Trump.
According to Yonhap News on June 22, citing the Washington Post (WP), Representative Greg Steube of Florida introduced a bill at the end of last month to cut off funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) unless it changes its name.
Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina proposed the "Donald Trump $250 Bill Act." Screenshot from Representative Joe Wilson's official website
Representative Steube proposed renaming the agency to the "Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA)." The abbreviation "MAGA" stands for "Make America Great Again," which is President Trump's political slogan.
The bill also includes a provision to rename WMATA's main rail line, the Metrorail, as the "Trump Train."
Previously, Representative Steube also participated in introducing the "Trump $250 Bill Act," which proposes issuing a $250 bill featuring President Trump's portrait in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding next year.
At the time, he argued, "Biden's inflation has devastated the economy and forced American families to carry more cash, but President Trump has worked to fight inflation and help American families," adding, "Such achievements deserve to be recognized by placing his portrait on currency."
Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina, who introduced the bill, emphasized in a statement, "The most valuable bill should feature the most valuable president."
In response, Representative Brandon Gill of Texas introduced the "2025 Golden Age Act," which proposes placing President Trump's portrait on the $100 bill. The $100 bill, currently the highest denomination in circulation, features a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, known as one of the Founding Fathers.
However, in the past, the United States faced public backlash when a five-cent note featured the portrait of then-living Treasury official Spencer Clark. As a result, in 1866, Congress passed a law prohibiting the depiction of living individuals on U.S. currency. Therefore, all of these proposed bills conflict with existing law.
The WP reported that at least eight bills have been introduced in competition since President Trump's inauguration to honor him or to glorify his image.
These include a bill to rename Washington Dulles International Airport as "Donald J. Trump International Airport," a bill to designate June 14, President Trump's birthday, as a national holiday, and a bill to carve President Trump's face into Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
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