Treasury to put Trump’s signature on paper currency in historic move

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday plans to include President Donald Trump’s signature on all new U.S. paper currency, a first for a sitting president.

Trump Signature on Currency Planned

The move would see Trump’s signature appear alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on U.S. dollar bills. Treasury officials stated the decision is intended to honor the nation’s 250th birthday.

Bessent said in a statement that “there is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country” than with U.S. dollar bills bearing Trump’s name.

This decision follows a pattern of Trump placing his name and likeness on American cultural institutions, including the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue, and a new class of battleships. A 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing Trump’s image, approved earlier this month by a federal arts commission, is also planned to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

The plan to include Trump’s signature on currency comes as an effort to also get his face on a coin is underway, despite federal law prohibiting the depiction of a living president on U.S. currency.

Michael Bordo, director of the Center for Monetary and Financial History at Rutgers, said the move will likely face political opposition, but questioned whether it violates any laws, noting the Treasury Secretary has authority over currency design. Congress authorized the Treasury Secretary to design and print paper currency, known as “greenbacks,” in 1862 to finance the Civil War.

Democrats have criticized the decision, particularly given rising costs for consumers. Rep. Shontel Brown, D-OH, tweeted that the plan is “gross and un-American” and would serve as a reminder of who to blame for increased prices on gas, goods, and groceries.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach stated that printing Trump’s signature on American currency “is not only appropriate, but also well deserved.” Bordo added that the bills will likely become collectors’ items in the years to come.

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces all paper currency, while the U.S. Mint produces coins. More than $2 trillion in Federal Reserve notes are currently in circulation, according to the Federal Reserve.