US currency bears Trump’s image and signature despite federal law

President Donald Trump’s signature is set to appear on new U.S. paper currency, the Treasury Department announced, a development that would mark the first time a sitting president’s name has been placed on dollar bills and arrives as the nation prepares to observe its 250th anniversary.

Under longstanding practice, the signatures on American dollar notes have belonged to the Treasurer of the United States and the secretary of the Treasury.

The plan to put Mr Trump’s name on currency has drawn criticism from Democratic opponents, who point to a federal law that prohibits living presidents from appearing on U.S. money.

Even so, the upcoming bills will feature the signature of Mr Trump alongside that of current Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“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, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the semiquincentennial,” he added.

For Mr Trump, the decision builds on a broader pattern of efforts to break with established norms and place his signature on U.S. currency.

Last week, an advisory commission selected by Mr Trump approved the design for a commemorative gold coin bearing his image, also intended to mark the 250th anniversary of the July 4, 1776 founding of the United States.

In the proposed design, one side shows a prominent Mr Trump at a desk with his fists bunched, while the reverse features an eagle perched with wings spread above what appears to be a bell.

The coin carries no monetary value, and the sale price has not been made public, though comparable commemorative coins sold by the U.S. Mint have fetched more than $1,000.

Mr Trump has also pursued other proposals that have sparked controversy, including a plan for a $1 coin bearing his face that would be temporarily added to circulating currency, and would similarly commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday.