Surprising and historic news has emerged from across the ocean, specifically from the United States, the heart of the global financial market! On the eve of the country's 250th anniversary, the idea of issuing a brand-new $250 banknote featuring the portrait of White House leader Donald Trump has become the center of intense debate.
If this initiative is officially implemented, it would be the first time in 160 years that the portrait of a living person appears on US national currency. However, this will not be easy. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing stated that it would take several years to prepare the design, conduct complex legal reviews, and develop technical security systems.
We provide an in-depth analysis of the unexpected controversies in the world of the dollar, political pressures, and the secret details of the new currency design.
White House pressure on the Treasury and legal obstacles
According to The Washington Post, citing several anonymous government officials, the Trump administration is putting serious pressure on officials responsible for printing money to speed up the design of the new banknote.
Specifically, since last year, high-ranking Treasury officials Brandon Beach and his advisor Mike Brown have been sending ready-made drafts to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, urging them to proceed. This situation has caused great concern among industry experts because:
According to current federal law, only deceased historical figures can be depicted on US national currency. Featuring living people on money has been strictly prohibited by law since 1866, when a government official's portrait accidentally appeared on a 5-cent paper note.
Who is the designer and what is in the draft?
Renowned British artist Ian Alexander worked on the new $250 bill project. The creator, a former professional swimmer and DJ who previously painted a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, confirmed the existence of the draft:
What will the new money look like?
According to the project, President Donald Trump's portrait will be placed in the center of the $250 bill, between the official signatures of the current leader and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. It is also planned to add American flag colors and a special anniversary logo to the design.
Political victim and news on the $100 bill
Political tensions have also arisen in the path of this historic reform. Patricia Solimen, Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, who opposed the administration's demand to put Trump's portrait on money by citing legal and technical obstacles, was unexpectedly dismissed from her post on April 27 of this year.
Nevertheless, bureau staff have agreed to another concession. Currently, at the main printing house in downtown Washington, for the first time in US history, new $100 banknotes featuring the signature of the incumbent president, Donald Trump, are being printed.
Note: Who currently adorns the US dollar?
Although a bill allowing the issuance of a new banknote for the 250th anniversary has been submitted to Congress, it remains stalled. Let's recall who is currently on the dollars in our pockets:
Banknote value | Historical figure depicted and their status |
$1 | George Washington — First President of the USA, hero of independence. |
$2 | Thomas Jefferson — Author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President. |
$5 | Abraham Lincoln — 16th President who abolished slavery and preserved the nation's unity. |
$10 | Alexander Hamilton — Founder of the American banking system, first Secretary of the Treasury. |
$20 | Andrew Jackson — 7th President of the USA, famous military general. |
$50 | Ulysses Grant — Union commander and 18th President of the USA. |
$100 | Benjamin Franklin — Renowned scientist, signatory of three major historical documents. |
We will continue to monitor how these interesting reforms in American currency conclude and whether Trump's portrait will appear on the dollar. Stay tuned to our page so you don't miss any updates, dear readers!
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
