Seal of the President of the United States - Definition and Overview

The Seal of the President of the United States is based on the Great Seal of the United States. The first President to use a presidential seal was Rutherford B. Hayes; in 1880, Hayes used the seal for White House invitations. Harry Truman had the seal redesigned on October 26, 1945, adding the circle of stars and re-orienting the eagle towards its own right, the side with the olive branch, thus symbolizing that the United States favors peace while being willing to engage in war. This also made the seal consistent with long-established heraldry custom, as the right is considered the side of honor.

The Presidential Seal is most often seen on the podium at press conferences, on the sides of Air Force One and Marine One, and on White House documents. 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 1960.

Example Usage of President