- The presidential seal has been seen at Donald Trump's West Palm Beach golf course, according to a Forbes report.
- Federal law prohibits the use of the seal to convey the impression of government approval of a private business.
- This is the fourth Trump golf course to be accused of improperly displaying a presidential seal.
The US presidential seal is being at a golf course belonging to former President Donald Trump, possibly violating federal law, according to a report from Forbes.
An Instagram post from April showed the seal being used as a tee marker at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The golf course is the one used by the former president when he stays at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
It's against the law to use the presidential seal in a way that might convey the false impression of government approval or sponsorship of a private business. It can only be used for official US government business, and violations can result in fines or prison sentences of up to six months.
It is the fourth Trump golf course to be accused of improperly displaying a presidential seal, according to Forbes, following similar use of the seal seen at golf clubs in the Bronx, New Jersey, and Jupiter, Florida.
ProPublica and WNYC revealed in 2018 that the Trump Organization had ordered the manufacture of dozens of tee markers with the presidential seal.
In response, the Trump Organization claimed that the plaques were presented to Trump by members who were fans and had since been removed.
However, the reporters said that they had seen the order form which listed Trump International as the purchaser.
Previous administrations have been vigilant about preventing misuse of the seal, with the Bush administration in 2005 ordering the satirical website The Onion to remove the insignia so that it would not imply presidential endorsement of a commercial venture.