Trump administration officials have pressed the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to design a $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait, according to a new Washington Post investigation.
The effort, tied to the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, would mark the first time a living person appears on U.S. currency in more than 150 years. Current law generally prohibits living individuals from being depicted on paper money.
Administration appointees provided a mock-up design including Trump’s face and signature to bureau staff. The director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, who reportedly resisted the request, was reassigned last month.
BREAKING: The Trump Administration and the US Treasury Department are designing a $250 bill featuring President Trump, per the Washington Post.
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) May 28, 2026
If this is launched, President Trump would be the first living person to appear on a US currency since 1866. pic.twitter.com/RFlZ4IbDNr
The push aligns with legislation introduced in February 2025 by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), known as the Donald J. Trump $250 Bill Act (H.R. 1761). The bill would direct the Treasury to print the new denomination and create an exemption to existing restrictions. It remains in committee.
Supporters argue the bill would commemorate America’s semiquincentennial and create a higher-denomination note for practical use. Critics view the proposal as unprecedented for honoring a sitting president on currency.
The Treasury Department has not issued a final decision, and any new bill would require congressional approval to become law.
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