Donald Trump's golden lapel pins could be his supporters' most sycophantic move yet

Members of Donald Trump’s cabinet have been seen wearing a golden lapel pin of his side profile instead of an American flag - but why?

People on social media have noticed that high-profile cabinet members in the Trump administration are wearing a pin on their lapels. Typically, this wouldn’t raise eyebrows, but the fact that they are shaped like a bust of Trump has sparked rumours.

In April, a claim made by Canadian sports writer Dean Blundell on his Substack referenced how the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, was wearing one on his suit jacket because they had been mandated.

But, while there is no evidence to substantiate the idea that these pins were enforced by Trump, Blundell argued that they are being used to show loyalty from his “sycophants”.

“Loyalists in the regime—congressmen, senators, the whole parade of sycophants—are now sporting golden Trump bust lapel pins, a garish little tribute to the man who’s turned the White House into a shrine to himself,” Blundell wrote.

Blundell claimed: "They’ve been quietly told to ditch their congressional or Senate pins in favor of this new badge of allegiance. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a loyalty test.”

Elsewhere, more people have noticed.

On X/Twitter, someone wrote: “This is a lapel pin in Trump's likeness. Many of his cabinet members are wearing them instead of the American flag. They say they weren't forced to wear them.”

When AI chatbot Grok was asked by an X/Twitter user whether it was cult-like to wear one, the bot made its stance very clear.

“Yes, replacing the American flag with a leader’s likeness on official attire echoes personality cults, prioritizing personal loyalty over national symbols. Historical parallels include Mao Zedong (mandatory badges), North Korea’s Kim dynasty (leader pins), and Stalin (ubiquitous portraits and icons). It’s a red flag for authoritarian drift,” Grok said.

indy100 has contacted the White House for comment.

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