'Save jobs': Deep red Trump stronghold implores him to reconsider new proposal
U.S. President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and pardons for January 6 defendants in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025.
President Donald Trump, on Sunday, February 9, announced that he had ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cease production of new pennies.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!"
But not everyone on the right agrees with Trump's decision.
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In Greene County, Tennessee — a heavily Republican area — some residents are saying that the move will result in job losses locally.
According to Greeneville Sun reporter Ken Little, "Eliminating the minting of new pennies could come at significant cost to Greene County. Tusculum-based Artazn LLC is the U.S. Mint's sole supplier of cent planchets, the blank discs stamped into pennies…. If the move is approved by Congress and penny blanks are no longer produced at the Old Stage Road facility, jobs at Artazn may be at stake."
Jeff Taylor, president and CEO of the Greene County Partnership, is among the Greene County residents who is voicing his opposition to ceasing production of pennies.
In a social media post, Taylor wrote, "Save the penny. For those that do not know, every penny starts in Greene County. Save jobs in Greene County!"
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Taylor also complained, "It's disappointing to see President Trump make a statement of directive like that because these are American jobs."
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Read the Greeneville Sun's full article at this link.
