US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent shows a proposed $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC.
KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images
The Trump administration is considering a $250 bill featuring President Trump’s likeness to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Current law prohibits living presidents from appearing on currency, but the administration is exploring the possibility that Congress might pass legislation to allow this special edition Trump bill.
“It’s all in the hands of… Capitol Hill,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a White House briefing on Thursday. “We prepared things in advance… but we will stick to the law.”
Bessent expressed no concerns about featuring the president in office during the nation’s 250th anniversary on the bill.
Last year, South Carolina GOP Rep. Joe Wilson proposed legislation requiring the treasury to print $250 notes with Trump’s portrait. However, the bill has not yet advanced.
The Washington Post reported that two Trump political appointees initiated the creation of the new $250 note, complete with a mock-up of the president’s image. Bessent displayed a draft of the Post’s story while addressing White House reporters on Thursday.
Should Congress amend the law, Trump would be the first living individual featured on U.S. currency since 1866.
The Treasury Department has already announced that Trump’s signature will appear on all newly printed money, departing from the tradition of featuring the treasury secretary and treasurer’s signatures.
This initiative is part of a broader trend of Trump leaving his mark on government buildings, institutions, and materials, particularly in efforts to commemorate America’s 250th birthday.
Potential commemorative items include a passport, coin, and National Parks pass featuring Trump’s image.
In Washington, Trump’s likeness can be seen on a banner over the Justice Department. His name has been added to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the U.S. Institute of Peace. Policy initiatives, such as the Trump Accounts, reflect his penchant for self-branding.
