WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said preparations are underway for a proposed $250 banknote featuring President Donald Trump, as lawmakers consider legislation that would allow living current and former presidents to appear on U.S. currency.
Current federal law prohibits living individuals from being depicted on American money. Legislation introduced last year seeks to create an exception that would permit Trump’s image to appear on the proposed note.
Bessent said a design for the bill has already been prepared in anticipation of possible legal changes. His comments came after The Washington Post reported that U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach has urged the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to accelerate work on the proposed currency ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
According to the report, a mock-up of the note includes the phrase “America 250 anniversary,” referencing the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The Treasury Department has not announced whether the bill would officially enter circulation if Congress approves the legislation.
The proposal would mark another expansion of Trump’s presence in official government symbolism since returning to office in 2025. His portrait has appeared on banners displayed at several federal buildings, including the Department of Justice, and his name was recently added to the Kennedy Center following changes made by his appointees to the institution’s governing board.
Trump’s signature is also expected to appear on U.S. currency as part of commemorative plans tied to the country’s semiquincentennial celebration. Traditionally, U.S. banknotes carry only the signatures of the Treasury secretary and the treasurer.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved plans for a commemorative gold coin bearing Trump’s likeness. Critics objected to the move, arguing it resembled practices associated with monarchies and authoritarian governments.