The Trump administration is reportedly pressuring the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) to explore the creation of a new $250 banknote featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait — a move that would break with more than 150 years of US currency tradition.
According to a report by The Washington Post, multiple current and former employees said administration officials pushed the bureau to design a mock-up of the proposed note, complete with Trump’s image and signature.
If approved, it would mark the first time a living person has appeared on modern US currency since the 19th century.
Internal Resistance at the Bureau
The proposal reportedly sparked internal pushback inside the BEP, the federal agency responsible for printing American paper currency.
One senior printing official who resisted the initiative was allegedly reassigned last month. In a farewell message cited by the report, the official wrote: “The buck stopped here.”
Sources familiar with the matter said administration officials circulated concept designs of the proposed $250 note as early as August, prompting concerns among career employees over legal, constitutional and ethical implications.
Would a Trump $250 Bill Be Legal?
Under longstanding US policy, living individuals are not depicted on American currency. Current banknotes feature deceased presidents and historical figures including:
- George Washington on the $1 bill
- Abraham Lincoln on the $5 bill
- Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill
Federal law does not explicitly ban living individuals from appearing on currency, but Treasury policy and historical precedent have consistently avoided it to prevent personality cults and political symbolism.