Lisa McCormick declares "No Kings on Coins" as Republican tyrant seeks undeserved adulation

Progressive Democrat Lisa McCormick is calling on Congress to stop the U.S. Mint from issuing any coin featuring a living person.

This demand comes in response to reports that the Mint is considering a new $1 coin for the country's 250th anniversary in 2026 that would feature President Donald Trump.

McCormick argues that putting a living person on American currency goes against the principles of the republic.

"Americans elect public servants, not kings whom the people serve," McCormick said.

She points to history as a warning. The only time the U.S. did this was in 1900, with a commemorative gold dollar featuring President William McKinley.

The public rejected it. Out of one million coins minted, the Treasury ended up melting down 850,000 of them.

McCormick called McKinley "one of the nation's least memorable presidents," suggesting the honor was misplaced even then.

McCormick strongly opposes honoring Trump in this way, calling his presidency "among the most disgraceful periods in US history" and blaming his ego for causing significant trouble.

"It's going to be difficult to erase the stain from our national honor for his malignant and cruel leadership," said McCormick.

The broader argument against featuring living persons on coins is that it risks turning national currency into a tool for political personality cults.

Critics say such an honor should be reserved for historical figures whose legacies have been settled by time, not for contemporary, divisive politicians.

It forces a political statement into everyday transactions, they argue, and mimics the practice of authoritarian regimes that put their current leaders on money.

Supporters of the commemorative coin may see it as a fitting tribute for the anniversary year.

McCormick and others believe a coin is a permanent symbol and should reflect enduring American ideals, not the polarizing figures of the present moment.

The fate of the McKinley dollar, McCormick says, shows how poorly these egotistical exercises have worked in the past.