US State Department to issue special passports featuring Trump's image

The redesigned passports will carry Trump's portrait overlaid on the Declaration of Independence on the inside cover, along with his signature in gold at the bottom

After signatures on national currency, US President Donald Trump’s image is now set to feature on American passports. According to a Financial Times report, the US State Department is preparing to issue special edition passports bearing Trump’s face as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. 

The redesigned passports will carry Trump’s image overlaid on the Declaration of Independence on the inside cover, along with his signature in gold at the bottom. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the passports will include customised artwork and enhanced imagery while retaining the security features that make US passports among the most secure documents globally.

 

When will these passports be issued and what will they feature?

According to the Financial Times, the State Department plans to begin issuing the commemorative passports in July, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. These passports will also include an image of the American flag with 13 stars, representing the original colonies, arranged around the number “250” on the back. 

As US passports are valid for 10 years, those carrying Trump’s image will remain in circulation well beyond the end of his second term in 2029. Existing passport designs depict historic moments such as the Moon landing, along with national symbols like the Statue of Liberty.

What other projects and programmes carry Trump’s name?

The passport initiative is part of a wider push to associate Trump’s name with key national institutions and programmes. Last month, the US Treasury announced that Trump’s signature would appear on paper currency, marking the first such move for a sitting president as part of the anniversary commemorations. 

In addition, the US Mint has revealed plans for a commemorative gold coin featuring Trump. Institutional changes have also followed, with the Kennedy Centre reportedly renamed the Trump-Kennedy Centre and the Institute of Peace rebranded as the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace. 

Trump has also undertaken structural and symbolic changes, including the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a large new ballroom. Plans are also in place to construct a 250-foot arch near monuments dedicated to early US presidents. 

Beyond physical infrastructure, several programmes also bear Trump’s name, including TrumpRx, Trump Accounts, and the Trump Gold Card.