US Treasury conducts due diligence on legislation for $250 bill featuring living president

The US Treasury Department is conducting due diligence on proposed legislation that would feature Donald Trump’s face on a new $250 banknote, marking the United States’ 250th anniversary. If enacted, the measure would make Trump the first living person to appear on US currency in over 150 years, according to a report by the Washington Post. The initiative follows allegations that Trump’s team pressured staff at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, leading to the abrupt reassignment of its director after she raised concerns regarding federal law.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed the proposal during a White House briefing, stating that the matter is “all in the hands... of Capitol Hill.” He expressed no concern about a sitting president appearing on currency for the semiquincentennial, asserting there was nothing “untoward” about the prospect. A Treasury Department spokesperson confirmed to the Post that the department was responding to “active legislation” by undertaking appropriate planning and due diligence, although the report notes the legislation has not yet been taken up by Congress.

The proposal confronts a significant legal barrier established in 1866, which prohibits the printing of US currency featuring a living person. Historical precedent further complicates the initiative; George Washington famously declined to be featured on currency while alive, fearing it would be “reminiscent of a monarch.” Despite these constraints, the Trump administration last year drafted legislation to allow Trump to appear on the $250 bill in time for the nation’s 250th birthday.

Public and political reaction has been largely negative, with critics citing historical precedent and economic concerns. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mocked the proposal on X, noting the note’s potential low purchasing power given rising costs. “By the end of Trump's term, it'll be just enough to buy one gallon of gas and a carton of eggs,” she wrote. Other commentators pointed to the 1866 law and the soaring cost of living, arguing that a high-denomination note is unnecessary.

This proposal follows a series of earlier Treasury announcements this year to feature Trump on US currency and documents. The department previously announced plans to print Trump’s face on a $1 coin to commemorate the 250th anniversary and stated in March that his signature would be printed on all future paper currency. Additionally, commemorative passports for the anniversary, featuring Trump’s portrait and signature rendered in gold, have been confirmed.