The Trump Organization might have illegally used the presidential seal for golf tee markers

Presidential seal
(Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

The Trump Organization has allegedly ordered "dozens" of tee markers emblazoned with the official presidential seal, a decision that is potentially illegal, ProPublica reports. While past administrations have strictly regulated how the seal is used, the Trump Organization's apparent order further blurs the lines between the office of the president and his businesses, critics say.

As the former associate White House counsel Grant M. Dixton put it in 2005 when reprimanding The Onion, the seal "is not to be used in connection with commercial ventures or products in any way that suggests presidential support or endorsement." Using it improperly, for something other than official government business, can result in up to six months in prison. Tee markers are used to indicate the start of a hole on a golf course.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.