U.S. paper currency will soon carry the signature of President Donald Trump in a historic first, after the Treasury Department confirmed a redesign tied to the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
In a statement to Reuters on March 26, the Treasury said the first $100 bills bearing Trump’s signature, alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, will be printed starting in June, with other denominations expected to follow in subsequent months.
At the same time, the department confirmed it will remove the signature of the Treasurer of the United States from federal currency — ending a practice that dates to 1861, when U.S. paper money was first issued.
Treasurer’s signature to disappear for the first time since 1861
The change means current U.S. Treasurer Lynn Malerba will be the last to have their signature appear on American banknotes, closing a 165-year run.
Treasury said the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is still producing notes bearing the signatures of former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Malerba, issued during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
No timeline has been given for when the new notes will fully replace those currently in circulation.
The Kenya Times has contacted the U.S. Treasury Department seeking clarification on the removal of the Treasurer’s signature and the legal and procedural basis for the change. No response had been received by the time of publication.
Trump commemorative gold coin
The currency change follows a separate decision this month, allowing the U.S. Mint to produce a 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing Trump’s image.
According to an Associated Press report, the design was approved by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts without objection, clearing the way for production ahead of the July 4, 2026, anniversary.
U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach last week said in a statement:
“As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump.”
The acting chief of the Office of Design Management at the Mint, Megan Sullivan, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has the authority to authorize the minting and issuance of new 24-karat gold coins, which Bessent has used to get around that prohibition and put the president on a coin.
Sullivan presented the coin’s final design at the commission’s March meeting last week and said the president had approved it.
“It is my understanding that the Secretary of the Treasury presented this design, as well as others, to the president, and these were his selection,” Sullivan said.
Officials said the coin will feature Trump’s portrait on the front, with inscriptions including “LIBERTY,” “1776–2026,” and “IN GOD WE TRUST,” while the reverse will show a bald eagle in flight.
The production run is expected to be limited, though final details on size and denomination are still under discussion.
Federal law prohibits living presidents from appearing on standard U.S. currency. However, officials said the Treasury Secretary has the authority to authorize special commemorative coins — a provision that has been used to approve the Trump design.
An official involved in the process told the commission that the final design was among those presented to the president and selected by him.
Both the currency redesign and the commemorative coin are part of federal preparations for the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.
Treasury told Reuters that the new banknotes will be rolled out in phases, beginning with the $100 bill, while existing notes with earlier signatures will remain legal tender.
The department did not comment on whether additional design changes to U.S. currency are being considered as part of the anniversary plans.
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