A proposal to introduce a new USD 250 currency note featuring US President Donald Trump has sparked fresh debate in the United States over long-standing currency traditions and legal restrictions. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the Treasury Department has already prepared preliminary mock-up designs for the proposed bill, although the move would require approval from Congress before it could become a reality.
Speaking during a White House briefing, Bessent explained that current US law does not allow living individuals to appear on American currency. He noted that legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to amend that rule specifically to permit Trump’s image on the proposed $250 note.
“There are two mandates for US currency. At present, no living person can be on US currency, and the currency must stay ‘In God We Trust,’” Bessent said. He added that Treasury officials have been working on advance preparations in case the proposed legislation is approved.
The issue has also reportedly created tensions within the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the agency responsible for producing US currency. According to reports, former bureau director Patricia Solimene was abruptly reassigned to another role within the Treasury Department. In a farewell note to staff, Solimene stated that the transfer was not her decision and defended her commitment to protecting the integrity of the US currency program.
The proposal has attracted significant attention because it challenges a long-standing American tradition dating back to an 1866 law discouraging the depiction of living individuals on currency. Critics argue that altering the rule for a sitting president could politicise the nation’s currency system.
This is not the first time Trump-related currency projects have generated controversy. Earlier, designs for commemorative coins bearing Trump’s likeness were approved, including a 24-karat gold coin featuring his portrait. The Treasury Department had also announced plans for Trump to become the first sitting US president to have his signature appear on US dollar notes alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The renewed discussions have also revived attention on earlier currency redesign efforts, including the delayed plan to replace former President Andrew Jackson with abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the USD 20 bill.
While supporters view the proposed $250 note as a symbolic tribute to Trump’s influence, critics argue that redesigning currency is a sensitive institutional process that traditionally takes years due to legal, security, and historical considerations.
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