A Secret Service agent placing the seal on the president's podium.

The Seal of the president of the United States is the official arms of the U.S. presidency and is based on the Great Seal of the United States. Image File history File links Seal_Of_The_President_Of_The_Unites_States_Of_America. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 703 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (868 × 740 pixel, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) White House Communications Agency Audiovisual Lead placing the Seal of the President of the United States on a podium before he speaks. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 703 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (868 × 740 pixel, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) White House Communications Agency Audiovisual Lead placing the Seal of the President of the United States on a podium before he speaks. ... Because of both the secrecy of secret services and the controversial nature of the issues involved, there is some difficulty in separating the definitions of secret service, secret police, intelligence agency etc. ... Seal on envelope A seal is an impression printed on, embossed upon, or affixed to a document (or any other object) in order to authenticate it, in lieu of or in addition to a signature. ... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... Obverse The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States government. ...

The first U.S. president to use a presidential seal was Rutherford B. Hayes; in 1880, Hayes used the seal for White House invitations and on the president's standard (flag) on a field of blue with four gold stars in the corners. Woodrow Wilson was the first president to apply the presidential seal to a state china service instead of using the great seal. Harry S. Truman had the seal redesigned on October 26, 1945, adding the circle of stars and re-orienting the eagle towards its own right, making the seal consistent with long-established heraldic custom. The fact that it was now facing the olive branch, thus symbolizing that the United States favors peace, was given as an explanation for the change.^[1] Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American politician, lawyer, military leader and the 19th President of the United States (1877–1881). ... Year 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924), was the 28th President of the United States. ... The China Room is painted ivory with accenting red and green draperies, carpet, and shelves. ... Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the thirty-third President of the United States (1945–1953); as Vice President, he succeeded to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945and died 2007 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1766) Bald Eagle range Subspecies (Linnaeus, 1766) Southern Bald Eagle Audubon, 1827) Northern Bald Eagle or Washingtons Eagle Synonyms Falco leucocephalus Linnaeus, 1766 The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), also known in the United States as the American Eagle, is a bird of prey found in North... Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. ... Olive branch Olive branch is a colloquial term referring to a concession or a gesture of peace, as well as a peace symbol. ...

Common usage

The seal is most often seen:

• on the lectern at presidential press conferences (the words "SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" sometimes encircle the "eagle-within-stars" design)
• on White House documents, however the words "SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" are not used
• on the sides of presidential transports Air Force One, Marine One, and the presidential limousine.
• at the center of the iconic and symbolic oval rug in the Oval Office of the White House, however the words "SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" are not used
• at the center of the ceiling in the Oval Office of the White House
• on the presidential flag, however the words "SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" are not used
• etched in gold onto presidential china, such as the Reagan china, which is often used at state dinners at the White House
• on packets of M&M's handed out to guests at the White House on some occasions
• on the reverse of the Kennedy half-dollar coin, however the words "SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" are not used, but rather "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on the top and "HALF DOLLAR" on the bottom

Additional stars have been added to the seal as other states have joined the Union. The last additional star, the 50th, was added with the admission of Hawaii in 1959. For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Air Force One (disambiguation). ... VH-60N Presidential Hawk Marine One in front of the White House Marine One Sikorsky VH-3D Landing on the lawn President George W. Bush surveys the damage to Enterprise, Alabama from Marine One after the February-March 2007 Tornado Outbreak. ... This article is about the American Presidential Limousine. ... The Oval Office from above The Oval Office is the official office of the President of the United States. ... M&Ms small size wrapper. ... The Half Dollar of the United States has been produced nearly every year since the inception of the United States Mint in 1793. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Unofficial use

Although unofficial use of the seal does not have to be authorized, its usage can garner a request by White House lawyers to discontinue its use. On September 28, 2005, Grant M. Dixton, associate counsel to George W. Bush, requested that the satirical newspaper The Onion remove the presidential seal from its website.^[2][3] For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The Onion is a parody newspaper published weekly in print and online. ...

Use in popular culture

The seal is sometimes used in modified form as a marketing tool, or to make a political statement. The punk rock group the Ramones used the seal as their logo, replacing the arrows with a baseball bat. Blink 182 and other bands have also used the logo on T-shirts. Some fashion brands (mainly for teenagers) have also used the logo as an added design for accessories like bags. In addition, the animated menu sequence on all DVDs of The West Wing contains a slightly altered version of the seal. In the backing video for Skinny Puppy's "VX Gas Attack," featured on the Greater Wrong of the Right LIVE DVD, another altered version of the seal is shown (the olive and arrows replaced with bleeding gas nozzles, and the eagle replaced with a skull). It is also used by rap group The Diplomats as their trademark logo, except that the olive branch and arrows are usually replaced by two guns and the word "Diplomats" is across the center of the eagle. The Ramones were an American band often regarded as the first punk rock group. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... DVD is an optical disc storage media format that is used for playback of movies with high video and sound quality and for storing data. ... “The West Wing” redirects here. ... Skinny Puppy is a prominent industrial band, formed in Vancouver, BC, Canada in 1982. ... Greater Wrong of the Right LIVE The Greater Wrong of the Right LIVE is a 2-DVD set from Skinny Puppy. ... The Diplomats are an American hip hop group who are more commonly known as Dipset. ...

Use in retail sales

The seal of the president has also been used for some retail purposes. In general, commercial use of the seal is prohibited by Section 18 USC 713^[4] of the United States Code, however the US Secret Service is authorized to use the seal in conjunction to fund raising sales for its charitable benefit fund. Currently the '1600 for Men' line of toiletries bears a modified version of the seal (modified in that: the words "THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" instead of "SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" ring the stars, eagle, and shield; dark blue pervades as the base color throughout; and the eagle's feathers are sliver) and includes items such as antibacterial wash, shaving cream, aftershave and soap. The United States Code (U.S.C.) is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal law of the United States. ... Because of both the secrecy of secret services and the controversial nature of the issues involved, there is some difficulty in separating the definitions of secret service, secret police, intelligence agency etc. ...

Misconceptions

Many people erroneously believe that the seal is changed during times of war, so that the eagle faces the arrows in its left talon. This belief may have arisen because major changes to the seal have coincidentally been made before or after wars.^[5] This misconception could also have arisen through the comments of Winston Churchill who, jokingly, criticized Truman's redesign of the seal stating that "Mr. President, with the greatest respect, I would prefer the American eagle's neck to be on a swivel so that it could face the olive branches or the arrows, as the occasion might demand". Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician, soldier in the British Army, orator, and strategist, and is studied as part of the modern British and world history. ...

References