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2h ago

Treasury Prepares Mock-Ups of $250 Bill Featuring President Trump

The department says it is readying designs to respond to possible legislation that would have to change a long‑standing law banning living people on U.S. currency.

Caption: US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent shows a proposed $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 28, 2026. President Donald Trump could soon appear on a new $250 bill, in the Republican's latest move to shatter US traditions by putting his personal stamp on national institutions. A proposal for the new bill, featuring a glaring Trump, was first reported Thursday by the Washington Post. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images) Photographer: KENT NISHIMURA Provider: AFP via Getty Images Source: AFP Copyright: AFP or licensors
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Overview

  • Treasury officials confirmed Thursday that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing has produced mock-up designs and is doing planning and due diligence in case Congress approves a $250 commemorative note bearing President Trump’s portrait.
  • Federal law dating to 1866 bars living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, so Congress would need to pass new legislation to permit a Trump portrait and to authorize a new $250 denomination.
  • Current and former BEP employees told reporters that Trump-appointed aides, including Treasurer Brandon Beach, pressed staff to prepare prototypes and that those requests raised legal and procedural alarms inside the bureau.
  • Experts and bureau veterans say designing and issuing a new high-value banknote typically takes many years and requires coordination with the Federal Reserve, the Secret Service, anti‑counterfeiting testing, and private cash handlers to ensure ATM and security compatibility.
  • The effort is part of broader semiquincentennial plans that include commemorative coins and special passports, while the House bill directing a $250 Trump note remains stalled and would face major Senate hurdles before any note could be authorized.