President Donald Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to have his signature featured on U.S. paper currency, starting this summer, according to the Treasury Department and multiple news outlets including Salon and Daring Fireball. This historic change coincides with the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations and breaks a 165-year tradition during which the signatures of the U.S. Treasurer and the Treasury Secretary appeared on banknotes.
The new currency will specifically feature Trump’s signature on $100 bills, as reported by The Star Malaysia and The Straits Times. The move places Trump in a small group of sitting global leaders whose signatures or images appear on their countries' currencies— a practice mostly seen in developing nations. The $100 bill update also includes the removal of the Treasury Secretary’s name from the dollar bill, a detail highlighted by Daring Fireball.
This shift is part of a broader effort to brand the currency for the nation’s milestone anniversary, with the Treasury Department also releasing a commemorative gold coin featuring Trump’s likeness, according to Salon. The redesign and inclusion of the president’s signature will begin circulating later this year, marking a symbolic extension of presidential branding into government-issued money.
The tradition of presidents’ signatures not appearing on currency underscores the rarity of this development. News sources like Zero Hedge and Bangkok Post underline that the last time currency design rules were revised so fundamentally was more than a century ago. This move raises questions about precedents for future administrations.
Looking ahead, observers will watch how this decision influences currency design norms and whether subsequent presidents will also have their signatures featured on U.S. banknotes. The lasting implications for U.S. currency symbolism and federal tradition are expected to unfold as the 250th anniversary celebrations progress through the year.
Treasury Department
Donald Trump
Scott Bessent
United States
