Well, well, well….what do we have here?
Why is President Trump still tooling around in a Golf Cart that proudly and prominently has the U.S. Presidential Seal displayed on it?
In case you don’t know, even “Former Presidents” are generally not allowed to use the Presidential Seal.
They can use an altered version that lacks the outer-ring inscription, but not one that says “Seal of the President of the United States”.
And yet, that’s EXACTLY the version 45-47 was just seen tooling around in while playing a round of golf on “Break 50”.
The use of the Presidential Seal is governed by laws and regulations to ensure its proper use. Specifically, the restrictions on its use are outlined in the United States Code and the Code of Federal Regulations.
- 18 U.S.C. § 713 – This statute governs the use of the Presidential Seal. It states that anyone who knowingly displays the Presidential Seal, any facsimile thereof, or any representation of it in a manner reasonably calculated to convey a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States is subject to a fine or imprisonment. This means that only the sitting president and those authorized by the president may use the seal in an official capacity.
- Code of Federal Regulations, 5 CFR § 2635.702 – This regulation prohibits the use of public office for private gain, which includes the use of official symbols such as the Presidential Seal for personal purposes. This regulation applies to current and former government employees, including the president.
While former presidents cannot use the official Presidential Seal, they often use a modified version of the seal. This modified version lacks certain elements of the official seal, such as the outer ring and the inscription “Seal of the President of the United States.” The use of this modified seal is not explicitly regulated by the same statutes but is a convention that respects the restrictions placed on the official seal.
In summary, the use of the Presidential Seal by former presidents is restricted by 18 U.S.C. § 713 and 5 CFR § 2635.702, which ensure that the seal is used only for official government purposes by the current president or those authorized by the president. Former presidents can use a modified version of the seal for personal and post-presidential activities, adhering to the spirit of these regulations.
Here’s the full video if you’d like to watch for yourself:
