Donald Trump is set to become the first sitting United States president to have his signature appear on American banknotes, the US Treasury Department has announced. According to Antigua News Room, which attributed the development to BBC reporting, Trump's signature will appear alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — an unprecedented move the department says will mark America's 250th anniversary.
"There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J Trump than US dollar bills bearing his name," Bessent said. US banknotes have traditionally carried only the signatures of treasury officials, not sitting presidents.
The first $100 bills featuring the signatures of both Trump and Bessent are scheduled to be printed in June, with additional denominations to follow. Notes currently in production still bear the signatures of former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Treasurer Lynn Malerba, who served under President Joe Biden.
The move breaks with a tradition dating back to 1861, when it became customary for the US Treasurer's signature to appear on banknotes. Current US Treasurer Brandon Beach stated that the country's currency will "continue to stand as a symbol of prosperity, strength, and the unshakable spirit of the American people."
The announcement is the latest in a series of efforts by the Trump administration to associate the president's name with government programmes and public buildings. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the formal declaration by the 13 original American colonies of their independence from Britain.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and a frequent Trump critic, wasted no time in responding. "Now Americans will know exactly who to blame as they're paying more for groceries, gas, rent, and health care," he posted on social media.
Earlier this month, a federal arts commission approved a commemorative 24-karat gold coin bearing Trump's image, also tied to the 250th anniversary celebrations. The move echoes a precedent from Trump's first term, when his name appeared on paper support cheques distributed to millions of Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic.
