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๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Culture & Society

Trump's Face to Adorn U.S. Passports in Historic First

From Hankyoreh · (6m ago) Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The U.S. State Department is preparing to issue a limited-edition commemorative passport featuring President Donald Trump's face.
  • This marks the first time a sitting U.S. president's image will appear on an American passport.
  • The passport, to be released around July 4th, will have enhanced security features identical to current passports.

In a move unprecedented in American history, the U.S. State Department is set to release a special commemorative passport bearing the likeness of President Donald Trump. This initiative, timed to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary, will feature the President's portrait alongside his signature within the passport's pages.

The design, approved after months of deliberation, will be available in a limited run of 25,000 to 30,000 copies. While the security features remain unchanged from standard passports, the aesthetic is distinct. The cover will display "United States of America" and "Passport" in bold gold lettering, a reversal of the traditional layout, and the back cover will feature a gold-embossed U.S. flag with the number 250.

This decision reflects a broader trend of incorporating President Trump's image and name into national symbols and institutions. Following the precedent set by the inclusion of Mount Rushmore imagery featuring past presidents, this new passport signifies a unique moment in U.S. history, placing a living president's image on official travel documents.

While the State Department emphasizes the commemorative nature of this passport, aimed at honoring a "historic moment," its issuance is likely to be viewed through the lens of the current political climate. The inclusion of a sitting president's face on a passport is a significant departure from tradition, sparking discussion about the intersection of national identity, political symbolism, and official documentation in the United States.

This is a special design passport to commemorate the historic moment of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country, and the security features are the same as before.

โ€” State Department Spokesperson Tomi PiggottExplaining the purpose and features of the new commemorative passport.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.