Fact check: Is the White House Gift Shop issuing a commemorative coin for Donald Trump's indictment?
In a video posted to Twitter on June 12, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said: "The White House Gift Shop is putting out a commemorative coin for Donald Trump's indictment."
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Is the White House putting out a special coin to commemorate former President Donald Trump’s indictment in a classified documents case?
Comments by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., seemed to suggest as much.
"Outrage of the week" Cassidy said in a video he tweeted and posted on Facebook June 12. "The White House Gift Shop is putting out a commemorative coin for Donald Trump's indictment."
"Now whatever you think about it, whatever party you are, you gotta admit it's poor taste, That it's capitalizing upon something without his permission, I'm sure. It's the wrong thing to do. Have a sense of decency, White House Gift Shop," he said.
But Cassidy failed to clarify that this online vendor has no association with the actual White House.
That lack of context led some users to quote-tweet his video with comments expressing outrage toward President Joe Biden.
According to its website, the gift shop was once in the White House basement but went online after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
According to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records, the trademarks for "White House Gift Shop" and "White House Gift Shop, Est. 1946" are owned by Giannini Strategic Enterprises.
In both cases, such coins existed, but through the private gift shop, not the actual White House.
PolitiFact reached out to Cassidy’s campaign team but did not hear back.
PolitiFact ruling
Cassidy tweeted that, "The White House Gift Shop is putting out a commemorative coin for Donald Trump's indictment."
His statement is partially accurate in that a business called The White House Gift Shop is promoting the sale of coins commemorating Trump’s indictment. But Cassidy leaves out key details by failing to note that this private vendor is not associated with the actual White House.
We rate his claim Half True.
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