South Korea gives Trump a crown weeks after No Kings protests

Driving the news: The crown is a replica of one researchers believe was worn by an ancient Korean ruler, multiple outlets reported.

• Trump also became the first U.S. president to receive a gold medal representing the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea's highest civil honor.

What they're saying: "President Trump was duly elected by nearly 80 million Americans to implement his America First agenda," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.

• "Foreign leaders recognize that under this president's leadership, our country has restored its standing as leader of the free world."

Zoom out: Earlier this month, a mass movement against the Trump administration condemned the president for operating like a king via unilateral actions.

• Trump has rejected the notion that he's acting like a monarch, telling Fox Business, "I'm not a king."
• The official White House X account in February posted a fake magazine cover with Trump wearing a crown and text that said "long live the king."

Behind the scenes: Trump has accepted lavish gifts from foreign nations and American executives, though the the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution bars officeholders from accepting gifts "from any king, prince or foreign state."

• The Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act blocks the president from keeping personal gifts worth more than "minimal value," which is currently equivalent to $480.

• The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability said the first Trump administration "did not prioritize" reporting gift records.

Flashback: In 2017, more than 200 Democratic lawmakers sued Trump over alleged Emoluments Clause violations.

• The D.C. Circuit tossed the case in 2020 for lack of standing, and similar suits from Maryland and D.C. were later dismissed as moot after he left office.

Go deeper: Gold plaque, Olympic medals and a jet: Here are the gifts Trump has accepted

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from the White House.