An advisory commission hand-picked by President Donald Trump has approved the design of a commemorative gold coin featuring his image, officials said Thursday, in a move slammed by Democratic opponents.

The US Commission of Fine Arts declined to comment when asked by AFP after several media outlets showed the proposed design in reporting on the approval.

The coin is supposed to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

One side of it shows a glaring Trump standing with his fists bunched on a desk, and the other features an eagle perched with wings spread on what appears to be a bell.

The coin does not have a monetary value, and its sale price has not been disclosed, but similar commemorative coins sold by the US Mint can cost over $1,000.

“We are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving president,” US Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement.

Beach noted that the design would differ from Trump images being planned for two other coins, a $1 piece that would be in circulation, and a one-ounce gold one.

Trump fired all six members of the US Commission of Fine Arts last October and replaced them with hand-picked people as he embarks on a series of renovation and building projects since returning to power in January.

Most controversial are a ballroom he is building at the White House, and the renovation of the famed Kennedy Center for the arts in Washington, which he has renamed after himself.

Another advisory panel, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, had refused in February to put Trump’s coin on the agenda for debate.

Since the signature of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, “no nation on earth has issued coins with the image of a democratically elected leader during the time of their service,” one of the committee members, Donald Scarinci, said at the time.

“Only those nations ruled by kings or dictators display the image of their sitting ruler on the coins of the realm,” he said.

• Aircraft landed safely at a US base; pilot reported in stable condition.
• Comes amid ongoing conflict involving US-Israel offensive against Iran.
• Several US aircraft losses reported, though none previously linked to Iran fire.

A US F-35 stealth warplane was hit by suspected Iranian fire and made an emergency landing at an American air base in the Middle East, US media reported on Thursday.

“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement, without confirming the reports from outlets including ABC and CNN.

“This incident is under investigation,” Hawkins added.

The United States has lost multiple aircraft during the conflict — including three F-15s mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti forces, and a KC-135 refuelling aircraft that crashed in Iraq — but none that are known to have been hit by Iranian fire.

The United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran following a major buildup of US military forces — including F-35s — in the region.

Thirteen US service members have been killed since the start of the operation on February 28: six in the KC-135 crash and seven in Iranian attacks early in the war.

Around 200 US military personnel have also been wounded in seven countries across the Middle East since the start of the war, most of whom have already returned to duty, according to the US military.

Meanwhile, a US official and three other people familiar with the planning told Reuters that Trump was considering sending thousands more US troops to the Middle East as a war that has so far killed more than 2,000 people continued to rage.

But on Thursday, Trump said he had no plans to deploy ground forces. “I’m not putting troops anywhere,” he said.

Netanyahu later on Thursday said that Israel acted alone in the bombing of Iran’s South Pars gas field and confirmed that Trump asked Israel to hold off on such attacks.

Iran is being “decimated” and no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or make ballistic missiles after 20 days of US-Israeli air attacks, but a revolution in the country would not come from the air and would require a “ground component,” he said, without elaborating.

As the Israeli leader spoke, Iran launched a new wave of missiles toward his country, according to Israel’s military and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

DUBAI: The United States has approved a possible $4.5 billion sale of an advanced missile defence system to the United Arab Emirates, the State Department said on Thursday.

In a statement, the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said the deal includes a powerful long-range radar and the THAAD system, which is designed to shoot down incoming missiles before they hit their targets.

Officials described the radar as a highly advanced system that can detect threats from far distances, including ballistic missiles and drones.

“The proposed sale will improve the UAE’s ability to meet current and future threats,” the statement said, adding that it would help protect the country from attacks coming from all directions.

The State Department said the sale was approved on an emergency basis, allowing the administration to bypass the usual congressional review process due to national security concerns.

Washington said the UAE is an “important regional partner” and that the deal would support stability in the Middle East.

The agreement includes five years of training, technical support and maintenance services to ensure the system operates effectively.

The main contractor for the deal is Lockheed Martin Corporation, a leading American defence company known for producing advanced missile and radar systems.