President Donald Trump could potentially appear on a proposed $250 US bill, according to a report, marking a rare and controversial departure from long-standing American currency traditions.
The proposal, first reported by the Washington Post, is said to involve a design featuring Trump alongside references to the “America 250 anniversary,” commemorating 250 years since the United States declared independence in 1776.
If implemented, it would represent the first time in over a century that a living individual—and a sitting or former president—appears on US currency, raising significant historical and legal questions.
According to the report, two Trump-appointed officials within the Treasury Department last year encouraged staff at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to develop prototype designs for the note.
Employees within the bureau reportedly expressed concern, noting that federal law prohibits the depiction of living individuals, including presidents, on US currency.
Printing bureau leadership allegedly raised procedural and legal objections, which were communicated to senior officials, including US Treasurer Brandon Beach, according to individuals familiar with the matter cited in the report.
The bureau’s director at the time was later reassigned, the report added, though no official reason for the move was publicly confirmed.
The Treasury Department has said it is conducting “appropriate planning and due diligence” in relation to the proposed legislation, which was introduced in Congress last year but has not advanced.
The proposal comes amid broader efforts linked to the US semiquincentennial celebrations, including commemorative coin initiatives and cultural projects already approved by federal commissions.
However, critics have raised concerns about the appropriateness of placing a living political figure on national currency, arguing it could undermine longstanding institutional norms.
Democratic Senator Mark Warner described the idea as an attempt to “stoke the president’s ego,” reflecting broader partisan tensions surrounding the proposal.
The measure remains under consideration and would require legislative approval as well as compliance with existing federal statutes governing US currency design.
