Critics say the move politicizes currency and risks blurring the line between national symbols and personal branding
RT composite. © Getty Images/Scott Olson;Kativ;Phil Ashley
US
President Donald Trump’s signature is set to appear on US paper
currency starting this summer, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.
It will mark the first time a sitting US president’s signature has appeared on legal tender.
The
Treasury said the redesign is intended to mark America’s upcoming 250th
anniversary. Trump’s signature is expected to replace that of the US
treasurer, altering a long-standing convention, while the Treasury
secretary’s signature will remain and no new imagery will be added.
Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent said the move is appropriate for the
Semiquincentennial, calling it a way to recognize the achievements of
both the country and President Trump. He said the first $100 bills
bearing Trump’s signature alongside his own will be printed in June,
with other denominations to follow in subsequent months.
Earlier
this month, a federal arts panel approved a commemorative gold coin
featuring Trump as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations. Plans for
a $1 coin with his image have also been floated, but could face legal
challenges, as US rules generally do not allow living people to appear
on currency.
Democrats criticized the move, arguing that it comes as Americans
face rising costs, including higher fuel prices. In December, several
Democratic senators introduced a bill aimed at preventing Trump from
appearing on US currency, including the proposed $1 coin.
Critics
also say the move politicizes currency and risks blurring the line
between national symbols and personal branding, even calling it
royal-style behavior.
In his second term, Trump has pushed to
stamp his name across government programs and institutions. Initiatives
include a TrumpRx drug website and a high-priced ‘Trump Gold Card’
offering residency and a path to citizenship. His image appears on some
National Park passes, and his name has been added to signage at the US
Institute of Peace. He also renamed a Florida roadway to ‘President
Donald J. Trump Boulevard’, drawing criticism from some residents as
politically motivated and undeserved.