The Trump administration is exploring plans for a commemorative USD 250 bill featuring President Donald Trump, a move that would require Congress to overturn a long-standing federal law barring living people from appearing on American currency.
Background of the Proposal
According to a report by The Washington Post, US Treasurer Brandon Beach and senior adviser Mike Brown repeatedly pushed staff at the Treasury Department’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) to prepare prototype designs for the note. Treasury employees told the newspaper that the requests raised concerns because current law only permits deceased individuals to appear on US banknotes.
Design and Approval Process
The report said Beach provided bureau staff with mock-up designs in August and September last year, including one showing Trump’s portrait at the centre of the USD 250 note between the signatures of the president and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. British artist Iain Alexander, who designed the mock-up, said Trump personally approved changes to the artwork, including adding American flag colours and a logo marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.
Legal Hurdles
No living person has appeared on US currency since 1866, when Congress outlawed the practice after a Treasury official’s image appeared on a five-cent note. Legislation introduced last year to permit Trump’s appearance on a commemorative USD 250 bill has so far stalled in Congress. The Treasury Department told The Washington Post that the BEP was carrying out “appropriate planning and due diligence” in response to the proposed legislation. It added that, if approved by Congress, the bureau would move forward with producing a commemorative note recognising the country’s 250th anniversary.
Broader Anniversary Plans
The proposal forms part of wider plans by the Trump administration to celebrate the anniversary in 2026. Trump is also set to appear on a commemorative 24-karat gold coin, while the Treasury recently confirmed that his signature will feature on US paper currency — the first time a sitting president’s signature has appeared on dollar bills.
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