This summer, U.S. paper currency will undergo a historic redesign as the Treasury Department confirmed that President Donald Trump’s signature will be featured on legal tender for the first time in American history. This unprecedented change ends a tradition that has lasted since the mid-19th century.
The redesigned notes, set for production in June, commemorate the United States’ Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the nation. While the overall design of the bills will largely remain the same, the President’s signature will replace that of the U.S. Treasurer, a position whose signature has appeared on every federal banknote since 1861.
For more than 160 years, U.S. currency has traditionally displayed the signatures of both the Secretary of the Treasury and the Treasurer of the United States. By substituting the Treasurer’s signature with his own, President Trump is altering a fiscal custom that began during Abraham Lincoln’s administration.
Brandon Beach, the current Treasurer, described the change as a fitting tribute to what he called the country’s “Golden Age economic revival.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed this view, stating there is “no more powerful way” to acknowledge the current administration’s influence on “dollar dominance” and “fiscal strength” than by placing the President’s signature directly on the currency.
The initial denominations to feature this change will be the $100 bills, which will carry the signatures of both President Trump and Secretary Bessent. These notes are expected to enter circulation through banks several weeks after printing begins.
Despite this signature change, the President’s image will not appear on currency due to existing laws. U.S. regulations prohibit living individuals from being depicted on circulating coins, a rule that recently prevented plans for a $1 coin bearing Trump’s likeness. However, the Treasury retains broad authority over Federal Reserve note designs, as long as key elements like the “In God We Trust” motto remain and only deceased individuals appear in the main portraits.
The announcement has also highlighted President Trump’s well-known preference for bold stationery. He has often praised the “Sharpie” pen for its thick, permanent ink, frequently showcasing his distinctive signature after signing major legislation.
As the Bureau of Engraving and Printing prepares for the June release, the Treasury confirmed that notes featuring signatures from the previous administration’s officials—Janet Yellen and Lynn Malerba—are still being produced. Malerba will be the last U.S. Treasurer to have her signature on the nation’s currency before this 165-year-old tradition concludes.
