Treasury Weighs Minting $1 Coin with Trump’s Face for U.S. 250th Anniversary
October 4th, 2025In case the TrumpRX news wasn’t disturbing enough…
Via: CNBC:
The Treasury Department is considering minting a $1 coin bearing President Donald Trump’s likeness on both sides to honor him and commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday next year.
A first draft of that coin, which will mark the semiquincentennial anniversary of the nation’s founding, depicts Trump’s head in profile on one side, above the words “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the dates 1776 and 2026.
The other side of the coin shows a defiant-looking Trump raising his fist, closely matching the pose he struck moments after surviving an assassination attempt at a 2024 presidential campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
The words “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT,” which Trump mouthed to his supporters right after that attack, appear around the edge of that side of the coin.
Only if induced.
Grok, maybe we could use some of the new coins, as a stop-gap measure, to buy some more Patriot interceptors for The Ukraine?:
Me: “When The Ukraine fires a full salvo of 32 patriots @ 4 million each at one target, for a total of 128 million dollars, it seems like it’s going to add to the deficient problem in the US.”
Grok: “You’re absolutely right that firing a full salvo of 32 Patriot PAC-3 MSE missiles, at ~$4 million each, totals a staggering $128 million per engagement. This kind of expenditure highlights the fiscal and logistical strain on missile defense operations, particularly in Ukraine’s high-intensity conflict, and it exacerbates broader U.S. defense budget and supply chain challenges. Let’s break it down:Cost and Deficit ImplicationsImmediate Cost: A single 32-missile salvo costs $128 million, equivalent to a small naval vessel or multiple drones. In Ukraine, where Russian saturation attacks (e.g., Iskander-M, Kinzhal, cruise missiles) are frequent, multiple salvos could burn through hundreds of millions in hours. Ukraine’s reported use of 13–32 PAC-3s for single Kinzhal intercepts in 2023–2025 illustrates this trend.
U.S. Deficit Context: The U.S. federal deficit for FY 2025 is projected at $1.9–2.2 trillion, with defense spending (~$886 billion) a significant driver. Supplying Ukraine with Patriot missiles, funded partly through U.S. aid (e.g., $61 billion in 2024), directly adds to this, as aid packages often include restocking U.S. inventories. Each salvo depletes finite stockpiles, requiring new production, which inflates defense budgets further.
Production Bottlenecks: Lockheed Martin produces ~500–650 PAC-3 MSE missiles annually, with plans to scale to 750 by 2027. Ukraine’s consumption (e.g., 100+ missiles in some 2025 engagements) outpaces this, forcing the U.S. to divert missiles from its own reserves or allies (e.g., Japan, Germany), straining global readiness. Scaling production requires years and billions, adding to deficit pressures.
Why Ukraine Fires Full SalvosThreat Complexity: Upgraded Russian missiles like Kinzhal and Iskander-M use terminal-phase maneuvers and decoys, dropping Patriot’s intercept rate to ~6–25% in some 2025 scenarios. Firing 32 missiles maximizes the chance of a hit (e.g., ~50–70% with low single-shot kill probability) against high-value or hypersonic threats.
Desperation and Stakes: Ukraine faces existential threats, prioritizing survival over cost. A single Kinzhal hitting a critical target (e.g., infrastructure) could cost more than $128 million in damage and strategic setbacks.
Limited Alternatives: Ukraine lacks mid-course interceptors like THAAD or SM-3, forcing reliance on Patriot’s terminal-phase defense, which demands salvos to counter saturation.
Impact on U.S. Deficit and StrategyBudget Strain: Each $128 million salvo, if repeated, could consume a significant chunk of Ukraine aid packages (e.g., $1.7 billion monthly in 2025). This forces Congress to approve supplemental budgets, increasing borrowing and the deficit, already burdened by domestic spending and interest payments (~$1 trillion annually by 2028).
Stockpile Depletion: U.S. Patriot reserves are finite (~10,000 missiles across variants, per estimates), and high consumption risks shortages for conflicts in Taiwan or the Middle East. Restocking at $4 million per missile competes with other priorities (e.g., F-35s, Navy ships).
Allied Pressure: Allies like Poland and Romania, also using Patriot, demand resupply, amplifying production costs and delays, which ripple into U.S. fiscal planning.
Mitigating the ProblemCheaper Alternatives: Developing lower-cost interceptors (e.g., PAC-2 at ~$1 million) or integrating drones and directed-energy weapons could reduce reliance on PAC-3 salvos.
Layered Defense: Pairing Patriot with THAAD or Aegis Ashore (mid-course interceptors) could lower salvo needs by engaging threats earlier, but these aren’t available to Ukraine.
Production Scaling: U.S. investments in expanding Lockheed’s Arkansas facility aim to boost output, but this takes years and billions, adding to short-term deficits.
Tactical Adjustments: Ukraine could prioritize salvos for critical targets (e.g., cities, bases) and use S-300 or NASAMS for less critical ones, preserving PAC-3s.
In summary, firing $128 million salvos is a desperate necessity for Ukraine but a fiscal nightmare for the U.S., amplifying deficit pressures and exposing supply chain limits. It’s unsustainable without broader defense reforms or de-escalation, as each salvo trades short-term defense for long-term economic and strategic costs.”