President Donald Trump wore a small lapel pin depicting a cartoonish likeness of himself at a White House event, calling it a 'Happy Trump' while joking that he is 'never happy.' The pin was placed beneath the traditional American flag pin and has been seen previously; similar designs are listed online for about $9.99. The appearance provided a light, personal moment during a meeting with oil executives and highlights the ongoing symbolism of lapel pins in U.S. politics.
Trump Wears 'Happy Trump' Lapel Pin, Jokes He’s 'Never Happy'
President Donald Trump wears a gift, which he calls a "Happy Trump" pin, during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is 'never happy' — yet on Friday he wore a tiny lapel pin he called a 'Happy Trump.' The accessory was pinned beneath the small American flag that presidents have commonly worn since Sept. 11, 2001.
President Donald Trump wears a gift, which he calls a "Happy Trump" pin, during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
At an East Room event with oil executives discussing Venezuela's energy industry, a reporter asked about the pin. 'Somebody gave me this. Do you know what that is? That's called a Happy Trump,' the president said. The pin depicts a cartoonishly large-headed likeness of Trump with an open mouth; some online observers quickly likened it to a bobblehead. Trump did not say who gave it to him.
President Donald Trump wears a gift, which he calls a "Happy Trump" pin, during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Displaying the pin, he added with a grin: 'Considering the fact that I'm never happy, I'm never satisfied. I will never be satisfied until we make America great again, but we're getting pretty close, I tell you what. This is called a Happy Trump.'
President Donald Trump wears a gift, which he calls a "Happy Trump" pin, during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Trump has been photographed wearing the same design at least once before — in February at a public ceremony — though he did not comment on it at the time.
An online search turned up what appears to be the same lapel pin available for sale on Amazon, bundled with a pin that overlays an American flag on a U.S. map, listed for $9.99.
Context: Flag Pins And Political Symbolism
Since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. presidents have commonly worn an American flag pin on their lapels. Former President Joe Biden has sometimes added personal variations, at times wearing a pin that pairs an American flag with a Ukrainian flag to signal support for Ukraine. During his 2007 presidential campaign, then-Sen. Barack Obama drew criticism when he said he would stop wearing a flag pin because it had become a substitute for 'true patriotism.' He resumed wearing a flag pin the following year after a veteran handed him one at a Pennsylvania town hall.
Friday's 'Happy Trump' appearance was not the first time a likeness of Trump showed up as lapel decor in Washington. In April, Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, wore a small gold medallion shaped like Trump's profile as a lapel pin; the medallion was visible in Carr's post on X about a Capitol Hill meeting with Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia.
Bottom line: The playful 'Happy Trump' pin provided a light moment during a policy-focused White House event and underscores how lapel pins continue to serve as both political symbols and personal statements.
Help us improve.
