The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute has told the Trump campaign and the republican National Committee to stop using the 40th President’s name and likeness in fundraising campaigns, the Washington Post reports.
The organization that runs the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, the Foundation informed the organization it was sending out unauthorized endorsements of candidates and products using Reagan’s name and image.
A July 19th email to prospective donors caught the Foundation’s attention. The fundraising email, entitled “Ronald Reagan and Yours Truly” and sent under the name “Donald J. Trump,” offered donors of $45 or more a special two-coin gift set, one with an image of Reagan and the other featuring Trump, mounted with a photo of Reagan shaking hands with Trump in a 1987 receiving line at the White House during a special event.
In typical Barnumesque fashion characteristic of Trump claim, the email über-hypes the coins:
I just saw our new Trump-Reagan Commemorative Coin Sets and WOW, these coins are beautiful – I took one look and immediately knew that I wanted YOU to have a set. These aren’t any ordinary coins. They symbolize an important time in our Nation. This year, in addition to being re-elected as YOUR President, it also marks the 40th anniversary of our Nation’s 40th President, Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately, we already sold out of the first batch we had in stock. But I liked these coins so much that I asked my team to rush order another batch for my TOP SUPPORTERS ONLY.
“I’ve authorized a very limited production of these iconic coins, which is why I’m ONLY offering them to our top supporters, like YOU. This offer is NOT available to the general public, so please, do NOT share this email with anyone.
The Foundation has sole authority to regulate the use Reagan’s likeness in promotional material, licensing rights that are commonly overseen regarding the images of famous figures.
“It was simply handled with a phone call mid-last week to the RNC, and they agreed to stop,” Reagan Foundation chief marketing officer Melissa Giller said in an email to the Post Saturday.
As of 8:30 p.m. ET, the set was still available on the Trump campaign fundraising site. And the page on the website is available to anyone, not those “top supporters” of the Trump campaign. 