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Seal of the president of the United States

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Seal of the President of the United States, official impression
Seal of the President of the United States, official impression

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 favored peace while being prepared for war). This also made the seal consistent with long-established heraldry custom, as the right is considered the side of honor.

The seal is most often seen on the presidential 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 states have joined the Union since 1945. The last additional star, the 50th, was added with the admission of Hawaii in 1960.