Trump administration pushes for new $250 banknote featuring president's portrait, challenging 1866 law

The proposal

The Trump administration is actively preparing for a new $250 banknote featuring President Donald Trump's face, intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed on Thursday that a design mock-up has been created in anticipation of legislative changes, though he stressed the Treasury would "stick to the law" and that the decision rests with Congress.

I don't think that there's anything untoward about having the president of the United States, the person who's president of the United States, on the 250th anniversary bill.

Legal hurdles

A federal law dating from 1866 explicitly prohibits any living person from appearing on US currency. The restriction was introduced after Spencer Clark, then-head of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, placed his own portrait on a five-cent note. Legislation introduced last year by Republican Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina seeks to create an exception allowing current and former presidents to be featured. The bill would need a simple majority in the Republican-controlled House but faces a 60-vote threshold in the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats.

The upcoming July 4th anniversary is not about a wannabe King. It's about celebrating the American journey.

Design and pressure campaign

The design, created by British portrait painter Iain Alexander — who describes himself as Trump's "favourite artist" — bears the inscription "America 250 anniversary." According to the Washington Post, Treasurer Brandon Beach and his senior adviser Mike Brown, both Trump appointees, have repeatedly pressured the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to expedite prototypes. A separate legal obstacle exists: current federal law does not list $250 among authorized currency denominations.

Internal resistance and departure

The push has generated controversy within the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Former director Patricia Solimene expressed reservations about legal obstacles and the lengthy timeline required for such a change. She was abruptly reassigned in late April. In a farewell note to staff, she wrote: "The buck stopped here." Earlier in March, Solimene had authorized the addition of Trump's signature to future $100 bills — a first for a sitting president.

I have never sacrificed the values or character of myself or the organization and always prioritized the U.S. Currency Program.

Broader self-commemoration pattern

The $250 bill is the latest in a series of moves embedding Trump's likeness and name into national symbols. His signature is already scheduled to appear on currency as part of the 250th anniversary plans. In March, the US Commission of Fine Arts approved a commemorative gold coin bearing his image. Banners with Trump's portrait have been hung on federal buildings, and his name was added to the Kennedy Center. Critics, including 30 US medical professionals who recently questioned his mental fitness, describe the pattern as evidence of delusional grandiosity. German-language outlet Blick reported that the Treasury is considering a workaround: if the image crop is large enough, Trump's likeness would officially not qualify as a "portrait" under the law — a tactic already used for commemorative coins.