Trump to Become First Sitting US President With Signature on US Currency

^{Image Credit: Donald J. Trump, Public Domain, Wikimedia / Donald J Trump/Truth Social.}

President Donald Trump has announced that a redesigned version of the US $100 bill will feature his signature; that would make him the first sitting American president to have his signature appear on circulating US paper currency. 

The image, shared Friday on Trump's Truth Social account, shows the familiar $100 note with Founding Father Benjamin Franklin still occupying the central portrait. The overall design remains largely unchanged. The most notable difference is the addition of Trump's signature alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the lower left corner.

If issued as shown, the note would represent a historic departure from longstanding US currency traditions. While Treasury secretaries routinely sign Federal Reserve notes, presidents do not. The inclusion of a sitting president's signature would therefore mark an unprecedented moment in the history of American money. 

According to the administration, the redesigned note is intended to commemorate the United States' 250th anniversary, also known as the Semiquincentennial, with circulation expected to begin in the near future. 

Administration Frames Move as a Bicentennial Tribute

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent strongly endorsed the decision, reposting the image on X and arguing that the commemorative note reflects both the country's milestone anniversary and Trump's economic leadership. 

Bessent said the United States is on a path toward sustained economic growth, continued dollar dominance, and greater fiscal stability under Trump's administration. He argued that placing the president's signature on the nation's most recognizable banknote is an appropriate way to recognize both America's 250th birthday and what he described as Trump's historic achievements. 

US Treasurer Brandon Beach echoed that position, calling Trump's economic legacy central to what he described as a new American "Golden Age." Beach said placing the president's signature on US currency is both fitting and deserved. 

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is expected to produce the notes before they are distributed through the Federal Reserve, although no official release date has yet been announced. 

Signature Approved, Presidential Portrait Still Faces Legal Barrier

The signature initiative differs significantly from another proposal backed by administration officials. Bessent has also expressed support for creating a new $250 bill featuring Trump's portrait, arguing that it would be a fitting tribute during the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations. 

That proposal, however, faces a substantial legal obstacle. Federal law, dating back more than 150 years, prohibits living individuals from appearing on US currency. Any effort to place Trump's portrait on a circulating banknote would therefore require congressional approval before it could proceed. 

For now, the signature proposal avoids that restriction, potentially allowing Trump to become the first sitting US president whose signature appears on American paper currency while leaving the portraits on existing notes unchanged.