Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent praised White House Chief Photographer Daniel Torok Friday after his official portrait of President Trump was selected as the basis for a new $1 gold-colored coin being struck at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.
“Daniel Torok is not only a great patriot, but an exceptional photographer,” Bessent wrote on X. “His portrait of the President will now be immortalized on the new $1 coin — a lasting tribute to a President who always puts America First. Thank you, Daniel, for helping to capture this historic moment.”
The exchange followed Bessent’s July 15 announcement on X that the U.S. Mint would begin striking the coin, which features Trump’s face on the obverse alongside the words “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “1776-2026,” with the presidential seal and “ONE DOLLAR” on the reverse. The coin is expected to be available to the public in the fall, according to a Treasury Department spokesperson who spoke to Spectrum News.
Who Daniel Torok Is
Torok serves as the Chief White House Photographer in the Trump administration, producing the official visual record of Trump’s second term. His portrait of Trump — a formal close-up in a blue suit with a red tie and American flag pin — was selected over other candidate designs after being displayed at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington in March 2026. Torok shared the portrait on X with the caption “45 • 47” — a reference to Trump’s status as the 45th and 47th president — which Bessent then quoted in his Friday praise post.
The Coin and Its Legal Questions
The $1 semiquincentennial coin is authorized under the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which allows the Treasury Secretary to mint $1 coins “with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial” during a one-year period beginning January 1, 2026. The administration has argued Trump’s portrait qualifies as a design emblematic of the semiquincentennial under that authority.
The same law states that “no head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design on the reverse of any coin” issued for the anniversary. The design unveiled shows Trump’s image on the obverse — the face of the coin — not the reverse side, a distinction the Treasury says puts it outside the prohibition. Legal experts NPR consulted said court challenges to the coin are possible but may face procedural hurdles, as potential plaintiffs would need to demonstrate specific legal injury to establish standing.
A separate statute — 31 U.S. Code § 5112 — bars coins from bearing “the image of a living former or current President,” and the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 restricts $1 coins to honoring deceased presidents, according to Axios’s broader survey of Trump’s currency changes. The administration has not addressed those statutes directly in public communications about the coin. The precedent the Treasury is citing is Calvin Coolidge, who issued a half-dollar in 1926 that included his own image alongside George Washington to mark America’s 150th anniversary.
Political Reaction
The coin drew swift criticism from Democrats and even some Republicans. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) wrote on X that he felt “sorry for the folks who will be sold worthless knockoffs of this by the usual grifters,” calling it a sign of the country entering its “end stages.” Democratic lawmakers have sent letters to the Treasury urging rejection of the design, introduced bills to ban living presidents from appearing on currency and described the coin as a “cult of personality” project inconsistent with American traditions.
Trump himself was characteristically understated when asked. “It’s very cute, they gave me a coin,” he told Fox News. “That’s very unusual, from what I understand,” per NPR. The design received formal approval from the Commission of Fine Arts — whose members were all appointed by Trump — on a vote without objection.
Part of a Broader Currency Push
The $1 gold coin is the latest in a series of currency and coinage changes the Trump administration has pursued during the 250th anniversary year. Bessent announced in March that Trump’s signature would be added to paper currency alongside his own — replacing the Treasurer’s signature — marking the first time a sitting president’s name appeared on circulating U.S. bills. The penny was eliminated. The dime was redesigned. A proposed $250 bill featuring Trump’s portrait has been discussed but requires congressional action, per Axios. Together, the changes represent the most significant remaking of American currency iconography since the Federal Reserve system was established over a century ago.