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🇮🇱 Israel /Economy & Trade

White House officials push for $250 bill featuring Trump's portrait - report

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • White House officials are reportedly pushing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to design a $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump's portrait.
  • Federal law currently prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, with the last living person on a note being in 1866.
  • Despite legal and procedural obstacles that would delay printing for years, some officials are urging immediate action, leading to the reassignment of the BEP director.

White House officials are pressing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to create a $250 bill bearing President Donald Trump's image, according to the Washington Post. The push involves U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach and his senior advisor, Mike Brown, who have reportedly asked agency staff to prepare prototypes. This initiative faces significant hurdles, as federal law currently only permits deceased individuals to be featured on currency, a practice that has not occurred for living persons since 1866.

Mock-up designs, including one with Trump's face between the signatures of himself and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, were provided to staff. The artist involved, Iain Alexander, reportedly discussed design changes with Trump, who requested the inclusion of American flag colors and a logo for the nation's 250th anniversary. The Trump administration had previously sought legislation to allow Trump's appearance on the bill as a commemorative gesture.

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.

— Treasury Department spokespersonResponding to the proposed legislation for a $250 bill featuring Trump's portrait.

A Treasury Department spokesperson stated that the printing office is undertaking "appropriate planning and due diligence" in response to the proposed legislation. "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.

However, the director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Patricia Solimene, and other staff have indicated that legal and procedural obstacles would extend the printing timeline by several years. "Currency often takes six to eight years to produce a new bill, particularly one of such high value," one employee noted. Solimene has since been abruptly reassigned from her position.

Currency often takes six to eight years to produce a new bill, particularly one of such high value.

— White House employeeExplaining the significant delays caused by legal and procedural obstacles to printing the proposed bill.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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