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Former President Donald Trump speaks on Wednesday at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.
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A golf marker displaying the presidential seal appeared to be in use at Donald Trump’s Bedminster, N.J. golf course, according to a photo posted on Instagram on Monday.
Federal law prohibits displaying the presidential seal in a manner that may convey the impression of government sponsorship or approval. Violators can be imprisoned for up to six months. Same goes for anyone who manufactures a likeness of the seal, except when authorized by the U.S. government. Based on recent history, however, it seems unlikely any prosecutors will be filing charges in this case.
The plaque looks similar to a batch of tee markers that “Trump, Inc.,” a podcast from ProPublica and WNYC, revealed in 2018. Those markers were removed swiftly after that report came out.
Back then, the Trump Organization blamed the incident on some diehard supporters. “The plaques were presented to the club by a small group of members, who are incredible fans of the President, in honor of Presidents’ Day weekend,” the business said in a 2018 statement to the podcast. “They were temporary and have since been removed.”
This time, the Trump Organization isn’t saying much. Emails to the president’s business, which was indicted on tax charges last week, went unreturned. Similarly, no one at the club responded to a voicemail that asked about the seal. And attempts to reach the person who posted the photo proved unsuccessful.
Trump retained a 100% interest in Trump National Golf Club Bedminster when he became president. He has been living at the property this summer.
A golfer at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster shared a photo of the presidential seal apparently being used as a marker. Federal law prohibits the use of the seal for anything other than official government use.
INSTAGRAM/KEITH OTTO
I took an unusual route to get here. In a past life, I worked as a travel and food writer, which is how I got the assignment in 2016 to cover the grand opening of the
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I took an unusual route to get here. In a past life, I worked as a travel and food writer, which is how I got the assignment in 2016 to cover the grand opening of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., just a couple miles from my home. When Trump won the election and refused to divest his business, I stayed on the story, starting a newsletter called 1100 Pennsylvania (named after the hotel’s address) and contributed to Vanity Fair, Politico and NBC News. I’m still interested in Trump, but I’ve broadened my focus to follow the money connected to other politicians as well—both Republicans and Democrats.