Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used Thursday's White House press briefing to tear into a Washington Post story about a planned $250 commemorative bill bearing President Trump's likeness, calling the piece “terribly written, terribly edited.”
Flipping through a printed copy of the article, Bessent challenged the reporter to explain the story's angle. “I don’t really understand this Washington Post article, but who here is from the Post?” he said, before dismissing the reporting as lacking a clear narrative. “Because basically what it says is that Treasury is following the law, and that we’ve created the bill, and that it’s up to Congress.”
The Post reported Thursday that Trump administration officials have advanced designs for a $250 note featuring the president's face and signature, with Treasury political appointees urging the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to prepare prototypes. Bessent confirmed the pushback, telling CNN's Kaitlan Collins, “Yes, of course. But we prepare for everything if it gets passed, just like we were ready six months in advance for the One Big Beautiful Bill for tax guidance.” He added, “You can’t draw something up the day before.”
Collins pressed Bessent on whether placing Trump's image on currency is appropriate while Americans struggle with high costs for gas and groceries. Bessent deflected, saying the issue is “bifurcated” and asking if the nation should celebrate its 250th anniversary. When Collins noted the celebration was already underway, Bessent countered, “It’s happening because it’s being funded by private citizens, by the federal government, by state governments, by municipal governments to celebrate our country, and I don’t think that there’s anything untoward about having the president of the United States on the 250th anniversary bill.”
Current federal law prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, a restriction that would require congressional action to change. A bill introduced over a year ago to permit Trump's portrait has stalled in committee. The Post reported that Treasury employees raised concerns about the legal barrier, but Bessent dismissed those worries as premature.
The exchange follows a broader pattern of Bessent fielding questions about Trump-related initiatives. Earlier this week, he brushed off queries about a potential 2028 presidential run, and he recently briefed reporters on the launch of the Trump Accounts app ahead of the midterms.
Critics have seized on the $250 bill plan as a symbol of Trump's focus on personal branding over policy. Former President Bill Clinton jabbed Trump over the proposal, calling it a distraction from economic struggles.
Bessent's combative tone with the press underscores the administration's strategy of attacking unfavorable coverage while pushing forward with initiatives that blur the line between governance and the president's personal image. Whether Congress will take up the currency redesign remains uncertain, but Treasury is clearly ready to move if it does.
