Treasury prepares for $250 bill with Trump portrait if legislation

The U.S. Treasury Department is quietly preparing designs for a $250 commemorative banknote that could bear President Donald Trump’s portrait and signature, should a pending bill change the law barring living persons on U.S. currency [1]. The effort is tied to legislation introduced by Rep. Joe Wilson that would tie the denomination to the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Key takeaways

• The Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing is conducting “appropriate planning and due diligence” for a $250 note featuring Trump’s image [2].
• Federal law currently prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. money; the proposed bill would create an exception for current and former presidents [3].
• The bill, introduced last year, has 15 Republican cosponsors but remains stalled in the House Financial Services Committee and would need Senate approval [2].
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the department will follow the law and has no objection to a president’s portrait on the anniversary note [2].
• Critics, including Sen. Mark Warner, argue the proposal diverts attention from pressing economic concerns [1].

Legislative push and Treasury preparation

Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina introduced legislation last year to authorize a $250 Federal Reserve note that would commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial and feature Trump’s likeness [1]. The bill, which has 15 Republican cosponsors, has lingered in the House Financial Services Committee for more than a year and still requires Senate passage, where a 60‑vote bipartisan majority is needed [2]. If the bill fails to become law, it will expire at the end of the 119th Congress, though it could be reintroduced in the next session [2].

In anticipation of a possible change, Treasury officials—including Treasurer Brandon Beach and Secretary Scott Bessent—have urged the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to develop design concepts and even add Trump’s signature to the note [2]. Bessent told reporters that the Treasury is “preparing in advance” but will “stick to the law” until Congress decides [2]. He also reiterated that there is “nothing untoward” about a president appearing on a commemorative bill [2].

Legal hurdles and political criticism

U.S. law currently restricts portraiture on currency to deceased individuals, a rule that has stood for more than 150 years [3]. The proposed amendment would carve out an exception for living presidents, a change that would also require adjustments to the list of authorized denominations, as $250 is not among the amounts currently permitted [1]. The Treasury noted that new designs are typically kept secret until six to eight months before release to avoid aiding counterfeiters [1].

Democratic lawmakers have voiced opposition, with Sen. Mark Warner condemning the effort as “detached from the challenges families face every day” and suggesting that resources would be better spent on lowering costs for Americans [1]. The political debate underscores broader concerns about the use of federal symbols for personal branding.