Trump officials push for new $250 banknote featuring president’s face for America’s 250th anniversary

According to a report by The Washington Post, a mock-up of the proposed note has already been created. The design places Trump’s portrait in the centre and includes the words “250 AMERICA.” The idea has created displeasure inside the Treasury Department and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), the agency responsible for producing US currency.

A similar version of the proposed bill was shared earlier this year by Andy Barr, who posted a photograph holding a giant mock-up of the note alongside US Treasurer Brandon Beach. The report said Beach, one of Trump’s appointees, had “repeatedly urged staff” at the BEP to move ahead with plans for the commemorative note.

However, current and former employees reportedly pushed back, saying the process would take years and could not be done quickly. “These guys think you can just print something overnight and it’s going to work in an ATM. It’s just crazy,” one employee told the Post. “It takes years and years and years to produce these notes so they are reliable for the public.”

Bureau director reassigned

The controversy reportedly led to the reassignment of BEP director Patricia “Patty” Solimene in late April. According to the report, Solimene and other officials informed Beach and senior adviser Mike Brown that the agency could not legally move forward without proper authorisation and planning.

“She had told them we’re not authorised to do this. We can’t progress any further, and all the stakeholders have not even met to discuss the next steps,” another staffer told the Post.

In a farewell message to colleagues obtained by the Post, Solimene wrote that she “never sacrificed the values or character of myself or the organisation” and that “the buck stopped here.”

Legal questions around the proposal

Under current US federal law, only deceased individuals can appear on American currency. The last time a living person appeared on US money was in 1866, before the practice was banned.

Former BEP director Larry R. Felix said the proposed note is “not statutorily authorized” unless Congress passes a law allowing it. He added that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would need official authority to proceed.

In February 2025, Joe Wilson introduced legislation proposing a $250 bill featuring Trump. The bill was referred to the House Financial Services Committee but has not yet received a hearing. Wilson’s office told the Post that Bessent and Trump “have spoken with Rep. Wilson about their support for this on multiple occasions.” A Treasury spokesperson told the Post that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing “is conducting appropriate planning and due diligence” regarding the proposal.

“Should this legislative mandate be signed into law, the BEP is moving proactively to produce a $250 commemorative note which will appropriately recognize the 250th Anniversary of our great nation,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson also denied claims that Beach pressured staff to begin printing before Congress approved the plan, saying he “has never asked staff to print the bill before congressional passage.”

Experts say it could take years

Former and current employees told the Post that introducing a completely new currency note — especially one with such a high value — could take six to eight years because of security features, testing and ATM compatibility requirements.

The report also noted that separate plans to release gold coins featuring Trump’s image are unlikely to be completed in time for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. British artist Iain Alexander, who created the mock-up shared by Barr, said Trump “absolutely loved it.”