Trump Didn't Use Presidential Seal
The Claim
Donald Trump illegally appropriated the Presidential Seal after his term ended.
Emerging story
Social media outrage was directed at former President Trump after he released a statement in response to a dispute with the Screen Actors Guild. The letter itself garnered debate based on its content, but so did the seal at the top of the page. Claims that Trump was illegally using the Presidential Seal quickly sprang up.
Misbar’s Analysis
While Trump’s seal does bear similarities to the official Presidential Seal, it is distinctly different as can be seen from a side-by-side comparison. His seal more closely resembles the Great Seal of the United States, albeit with a slightly altered shield. Both of these feature a field of stars above the eagle’s head, and lack the text which encircles the official presidential seal.
The use of such a seal for an office is quite normal for former presidents, and well within the bounds of the law. These offices are provided for the previous heads-of-state by the government under the Former Presidents Act. The respective offices of George W. Bush and Barack Obama (and Michelle Obama) both feature seals which are similar to Trump’s.
As for the use of the title of President, there is very little consensus on the matter. While not many former presidents actively maintain the title, they are still addressed with it both formally and informally. This point is certainly debatable.
Although the law states that it is not permissible to duplicate any official seals without explicit permission, this is not really enforced. You can buy a vinyl of the Presidential Seal on Ebay if you want to. An issue only truly arises when the seal is used as a false symbol of authority.
Had Trump used the official Presidential Seal and title in order to represent the government as if he was still in office, there would have been a legal issue. However, this is not the case. Use of the Great Seal of the United States (or seals bearing a likeness to it) is restricted under the law as well, but since the Office of Donald J. Trump is sanctioned, it is not an issue in this instance.
