Trump’s signature to appear on US dollar bills for first time in history

The US Department of the Treasury announced on March 26 that US paper currency will begin carrying the signature of Donald Trump starting this summer, marking the first time a sitting US president’s signature will appear on American banknotes.

The redesigned notes are being introduced to commemorate the 250th anniversary of US independence. In a significant break with long-standing practice, the new bills will also omit the signature of the US treasurer—ending a 165-year tradition. The treasurer, who reports to the Treasury Secretary, oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the US Mint, and other key Treasury functions, as per Reuters.

The first $100 bills bearing Trump’s signature, alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, are scheduled to be printed in June, with other denominations to follow in the months after. Officials said it may take several weeks for the new currency to enter circulation through the banking system.

At present, the Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing continues producing notes featuring the signatures of former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who served under Joe Biden, and then-Treasurer Lynn Malerba.

Malerba will be the last in an unbroken line of treasurers whose signatures have appeared on US federal currency since 1861, when such notes were first issued by the US government.

The change forms part of a broader push by the Trump administration and its allies to place the president’s name on a wide range of public assets, including buildings, institutions, government programs, battleships and coins. A federal arts panel appointed by Trump has also approved the design of a commemorative gold coin featuring his image.

In a statement, Bessent said the decision was fitting in light of the country’s 250th anniversary, citing strong economic growth, financial stability and “lasting dollar dominance” during Trump’s second term. “There is no more powerful way to recognise the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than US dollar bills bearing his name, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the Semiquincentennial,” he said.

Efforts to introduce a circulating $1 coin bearing Trump’s image have faced legal obstacles, as US law prohibits the depiction of living individuals on coins.

Under statutes governing the printing of Federal Reserve notes, the Treasury has broad authority to modify designs to combat counterfeiting. However, the law requires certain elements to remain unchanged, including the phrase “In God We Trust,” and permits only portraits of deceased individuals.

Treasury officials said the overall design of the banknotes will remain unchanged apart from replacing the treasurer’s signature with that of Trump.

Malerba declined to comment on the decision. Her predecessor, Jovita Carranza, who served during Trump’s first term, described the move as “a powerful symbol of American resilience, the enduring strength of free enterprise and the promise of continued greatness.”

The current US treasurer, Brandon Beach, whose signature has not appeared on currency, also voiced support, calling Trump the architect of a “golden age economic revival.”

By Tamilla Hasanova