Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday unveiled a new $100 bill featuring President Trump’s signature, a move timed to coincide with America’s 250th birthday. Bessent shared the image on social media, reposting Trump’s Truth Social post and declaring it “only appropriate” for the currency to debut on the anniversary of independence.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are on a path toward unprecedented economic growth, lasting dollar dominance, and fiscal strength and stability,” Bessent wrote on X, echoing his March announcement that Trump’s name would appear on newly minted paper currency for the first time for a sitting president.
The Treasury Department is relying on the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020—signed by Trump during his first term—to bypass a federal law that normally bars living people from being depicted on U.S. currency. That same legal reasoning was used to justify a commemorative $1 gold coin featuring Trump’s image, which drew criticism from Democrats.
Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) fired off a letter to Bessent in April questioning the move. “It is deeply unclear how, if at all, the Administration believes that emblazoning U.S. currency with President Trump’s signature will address any of the serious problems facing the American public,” they wrote.
The Trump administration has broadened efforts to embed the president’s name, image, and likeness across federal symbols, including limited-edition passports and annual National Park passes. The push has also included a $1,000 baby investment account initiative tied to the anniversary.
Public opinion remains divided. An Economist/YouGov poll in April found 59% of Americans disapproved of adding Trump’s signature to currency, while 24% approved and 18% were undecided. The split was stark along party lines: only about 20% of Republicans opposed the idea, compared to nine in ten Democrats and 65% of independents.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has printed the notes, but it typically takes several weeks before the Federal Reserve distributes them to banks. An exact release date has not been announced.
The controversy comes as Trump prepares for a major July Fourth address on the National Mall, where he is expected to highlight his administration’s anniversary-themed initiatives. Meanwhile, Republicans are already pivoting back to legislative priorities after the semiquincentennial celebrations.
