May 29, 2026
Washington is quietly exploring a currency shake-up that is already generating controversy: a brand-new $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump.
Insiders at the Treasury and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) report that political appointees Brandon Beach and Mike Brown have drafted early mock-ups, according to an exclusive Washington Post report. The idea first floated around during Trump’s previous term, but it’s gaining fresh momentum as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.
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However, this proposal faces a massive legal roadblock. Federal law has strictly banned putting any living person on U.S. currency since the Civil War. To actually put Trump’s portrait on a wallet-ready bill, the administration would need Congress to step in and rewrite the rulebook.
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Bumping up against century-old currency rules
As it turns out, this $250 anniversary bill is already running into a wall of government red tape.
As the Washington Post reports, internal mock-ups are already floating around Washington. The proposed design features Trump on the front, flanked by his own signature and that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The artwork was created by British artist Iain Alexander, who claims Trump personally reviewed the design and “absolutely loved it.” But loving it doesn’t make it legal.
The administration already faces an immediate roadblock — the Thayer Amendment of 1866. Congress passed this law during the Civil War after a Treasury official put his own face on a currency note. It triggered a backlash and lawmakers at the time banned living people from appearing on U.S. money ever again.
Even if Congress decides to rewrite that 160-year-old rule for Trump, Americans shouldn’t expect to see this bill in their wallets anytime soon. Creating a brand-new denomination is, by all accounts, a logistical nightmare. It takes years of anti-counterfeiting testing and massive coordination between the Federal Reserve, the Secret Service and printing agencies.
For now, the Treasury Department says it’s just doing its “due diligence” on the concept, claiming these talks are strictly preliminary. But if Congress gives the green light for the 250th anniversary, they will be ready to print.
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The reality check
So far, Trump’s new bill has gained limited traction on Capitol Hill, and that outcome doesn’t surprise people familiar with the system.
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Former BEP director Larry Felix has said U.S. currency redesign is among the most complex and security-focused processes in government, noting that any attempt to accelerate it can create knock-on effects across banks, retailers and payment systems that rely on a stable cash framework.
There have also been internal concerns. Patricia “Patty” Solimene, a former bureau director, was reassigned earlier this year after raising questions about the legality and practicality of the effort. In a final note to staff, she stood by her approach and wrote that “the buck stopped here.” The bureau is now operating under acting leadership.
At the same time, the administration has moved ahead with other 250th anniversary-related changes that do not require congressional approval, including updated U.S. passports featuring Trump’s portrait.
Supporters argue a $250 bill would serve as a symbolic way to mark a major national milestone. Critics, however, argue it risks pushing U.S. currency into politically sensitive territory that longstanding design conventions were meant to avoid.
Even with mock-ups and internal drafts circulating, the idea remains in the preliminary stages — for now. Moving it forward would mean navigating a long list of legislative approvals, technical requirements and institutional safeguards before it could ever reach circulation.
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Laura Grande is a freelance contributor with nearly 15 years of industry experience. Throughout her career she's written about and edited a range of topics, from personal finance and politics to health and pop culture.
