White House Proposes Trump $250 Bill
The White House proposes a $250 bill with Donald Trump's image, requiring a change to federal law.
Lauren Collins ·
White House Proposes Trump $250 Bill
The White House, through Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, on Thursday proposed legislation to Congress for a new $250 banknote featuring the image of former President Donald Trump. This initiative, announced at a press conference, aims to commemorate the United States' 250th anniversary of independence. The proposal necessitates a change to federal law, which currently prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, a statute established in 1866.
The Treasury Department has begun preliminary preparations for the potential currency, despite existing legal restrictions. Secretary Bessent stated that the department would adhere to current law unless Congress enacts the proposed changes. The legislation would require a simple majority in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives but faces significant opposition in the Senate, where Democrats have indicated they would block the measure.
The proposal has drawn immediate criticism from Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who publicly rejected the idea. The current federal law preventing living persons on currency was enacted following a controversy involving a currency superintendent depicted on a five-cent note. The White House's push for this new denomination is contingent on legislative approval to amend this longstanding legal precedent.