Donald Trump Announces He’s Redesigning U.S. Dollar Banknotes By Doing Something That Hasn’t Been Done Since 1861

Donald Trump is expected to become the first sitting U.S. president to have his signature appear on American paper money.

The U.S. Treasury Department has announced that future banknotes will include Trump’s signature. This change means the long-standing tradition of having the U.S. Treasurer’s signature on currency will end for the first time in about 165 years.

The first $100 bills with Trump’s signature—alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent—are expected to be printed in June, according to reports. Other denominations will follow later.

At the moment, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is still producing notes that carry the signatures of former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Treasurer Lynn Malerba. Malerba is set to be the last treasurer whose signature appears on U.S. currency, ending a practice that began in 1861.

Officials say this move is part of a wider effort to place Trump’s name on major national symbols, including buildings, programs, and possibly coins.

Bessent described the decision as a way to mark the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary, saying it is a historic moment and that having Trump’s name on U.S. currency is a fitting tribute.

There are also plans for a gold coin featuring Trump’s image, and that design has already been approved by a federal arts panel. However, efforts to introduce a $1 coin with Trump’s likeness have faced pushback because U.S. law does not allow living people to appear on coins.

As for the paper money, the overall design will stay the same. The only change will be replacing the treasurer’s signature with Trump’s. While the Treasury has some flexibility to update designs—mainly to prevent counterfeiting certain elements must remain unchanged, such as the phrase “In God We Trust.” Also, current laws still require that portraits on U.S. currency feature people who are no longer alive.