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


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.
Eagle Sign and Design said it received an order to make dozens of such tee markers, with ProPublica and WNYC confirming the customer to be "Trump International" on an order form they reviewed. The Trump Organization has a number of courses with the name Trump International in the U.S. as well as abroad. Read the full investigation here.
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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.
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