DONALD Trump is set to become the first sitting US president to have his signature feature on banknotes.
Trump’s signature will appear alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as part of efforts to mark America’s 250th anniversary.
The President will also be pride of place on a commemorative gold coin that has been approved by a federal arts commission.
Until now, Calvin Coolidge is the only other US president to have featured on a coin in his lifetime.
“There is no more powerful way to recognise the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than US dollar bills bearing his name,” Bessent said.
Banknotes in America have traditionally only carried the signatures of Treasury officials.
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To that end, paper currency in the US currently features the signatures of former president Joe Biden‘s Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, and Treasurer Lynn Malerba.
This has been the case since 1861, but not anymore.
This marks the latest move by the White House to incorporate Trump’s name into everyday American life.
An increasing number of public buildings and government programs feature the president’s name.
These efforts have not gone unnoticed.
Trump faced public backlash when it was announced that the Kennedy Center in Washington DC would be renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center.
Several artists scheduled to perform at the venue cancelled after the rebrand, and it has now been closed for renovation.
The first $100 bills bearing Trump’s and Bessent’s signatures are expected to arrive in June, with others expected soon after.
Bessent said having currency with Trump’s name would be a “powerful way to recognise the historic achievements of our great country”.
US Treasurer Brandon Beach also vowed this currency would “continue to stand as a symbol of prosperity, strength, and the unshakable spirit of the American people.”
However, this move has attracted criticism from across the aisle.
In the aftermath of the announcement, the Democratic Party governor of California Gavin Newsom took aim at Trump’s economic record.
“Now Americans will know exactly who to blame as they’re paying more for groceries, gas, rent and health,” he wrote on social media.
This isn’t the first time Trump’s name has appeared on currency of some description in the US.
During his first term in office, the president’s name featured on paper support checks sent to millions of Americans during the pandemic.
According to the Treasury, federal checks are normally signed by a civil servant disbursing officer for the payment center.
Then, during his election campaign in 2024, Trump released a range of personalised coins priced at $100.
The 99.9 per cent silver coins were emblazoned with an image of Trump on the front and an engraving of the White House on the back.