Trump Team Pushes $250 Bill With His Face Despite Legal Ban
Trump administration officials are pushing the Treasury to create a $250 bill featuring the president's face despite a 1866 law banning living persons from U.S. currency.
The unprecedented move would represent the first time a living person’s face has appeared on American currency since 1866. A Treasury Department spokeswoman confirmed the agency is moving forward with plans to produce a $250 commemorative note featuring President Donald Trump’s signature.
The $250 denomination would commemorate America’s 250th birthday in 2025, the Treasury Department indicated in its statement to the press.
New York Post reports that US Treasurer Brandon Beach and his senior adviser Mike Brown have been the driving forces behind the banknote proposal. Beach provided staff with mock-up designs in August and September of last year, which featured Trump’s face prominently in the center of the bill alongside signatures from both the president and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Legal Obstacles and Internal Resistance
The plan faces significant legal barriers. The Thayer Amendment, enacted in 1866, explicitly prohibits placing the likeness of any living person on official US currency, bonds, or other financial instruments. Additionally, federal law restricts Uncle Sam to specific currency denominations, and $250 is not among them.
Patricia Solimene, who served as Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, reportedly objected to Beach and Brown about the legal and procedural obstacles. Sources indicate she informed them the agency lacked authorization to proceed with the project and that all necessary stakeholders had not yet convened to discuss next steps.
Currency production typically requires six to eight years to complete, particularly for high-value denominations, Solimene reportedly emphasized. On April 27, she was reassigned from her position, reportedly informing colleagues the decision was not her choice. Brown has since assumed the role of acting director.
Congressional Battle Lines
The Treasury Department stated it is conducting planning and due diligence in response to active legislation sponsored by Representative Joe Wilson. Should that legislative mandate become law, the Bureau is positioning itself to produce the commemorative note.
Capitol Hill remains divided on the question. Multiple Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills to prevent Trump from appearing on American currency. Representative Jimmy Gomez of California put forward legislation in April to bar Trump’s signature from the greenback, while several senators unveiled a bill last year to block his face from appearing on coins.
On the Republican side, freshman Representative Brandon Gill of Texas introduced legislation to replace Benjamin Franklin with Trump on the $100 bill. Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky has advocated for Trump’s image on a $250 note specifically.
None of these competing legislative proposals have gained meaningful traction in either chamber of Congress thus far.
With information from New York Post
