The idea of Donald Trump’s face appearing on a U.S. coin is more than just a symbolic gesture; it represents a dangerous normalization of authoritarian cults of personality in a democracy that was founded on the principle of rejecting kings and strongmen. American coins have historically honored figures who helped build the republic and safeguard its institutions—Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt—not individuals who sought to undermine them. To elevate Trump in this way would not only cheapen the legacy of those leaders but would also blur the line between commemorating history and glorifying divisive demagoguery.

Such a move would also signal America’s alarming descent into a culture of fascistic hero worship. Autocratic regimes often mint currency with the likeness of their rulers to cement loyalty, creating a constant reminder of the leader’s supposed greatness in the most mundane of daily transactions. For the U.S. to adopt the same practice with Trump—an individual who actively attacked democratic norms, attempted to overturn an election, and encouraged political violence—would be to mirror the propaganda tactics of regimes America has historically opposed. It would normalize a dangerous narrative: that loyalty to a man supersedes loyalty to the Constitution.

Ultimately, putting Trump on a coin would be a tragic symbol of America’s rapid decline into illiberalism. It would tell the world that the United States is no longer committed to honoring shared values or institutions, but rather to enshrining one man’s polarizing legacy in metal and myth. Instead of coins that remind citizens of unity and the sacrifices made to preserve democracy, Americans would carry tokens of division and authoritarian nostalgia in their pockets. This would not merely be a numismatic decision; it would be yet another step in the hollowing out of democracy and the rise of a cult-like politics that edges ever closer to fascism.