The announcement is the latest example of Trump literally stamping his name on American institutions.
Published March 27, 2026
President Donald Trump’s signature will soon appear on U.S. currency under plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Independence Day on July 4.
The move, announced Thursday by the U.S. Treasury Department, is the first of its kind by a sitting president.
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Previously, U.S. banknotes came in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 and were signed by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Treasurer.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the changes would recognize Trump’s “historic accomplishments,” saying he had put the country on a path to “unprecedented economic growth” and “fiscal strength and stability.”
Economic growth under Trump was largely in line with post-pandemic trends overseen by his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.
The U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in 2025 was 2.2%, slightly lower than the average growth rate of 2.5% from 2022 to 2024.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, widely seen as a front-runner for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028, scoffed at the Treasury Department’s announcement.
“Americans who are paying more for groceries, gas, rent and health care will know exactly who to blame,” Newsom said in a social media post.
The Trump administration’s latest precedent-breaking move comes a week after the American Board of Fine Arts, led by Trump appointee Rodney Mims Cook Jr., approved the minting of a commemorative gold coin bearing the Republican president’s likeness.
The announcement exploited a loophole in the law that prohibits depictions of living presidents on circulating currency, prompting a backlash from critics who likened the move to the actions of a dictator or monarch.
Trump, who aggressively promoted his personal brand during his career as a real estate mogul, has attached his name to a growing list of organizations and projects since returning to the White House, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the U.S. Institute of Peace and the next generation of battleships.
