Donald Trump’s image is reportedly about to appear inside a limited number of U.S. passports, and the reaction is going to be loud.
The State Department is preparing to issue specially designed passports commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. According to a mockup, the inside cover will feature Trump’s face and his signature in gold.
A State Department official said the passport “will be the default passport out of the Washington Passport Agency when available” for people renewing their passports in person at that location.
Anyone using online options or other passport locations will reportedly receive the existing design.
Trump’s Image Will Be On An Official Passport
The new design is meant to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary in July.
“As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed U.S. Passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
Pigott added that the passports will include “customized artwork and enhanced imagery” while keeping the same security features.
That detail matters because this is not just a souvenir coin or a park pass. A U.S. passport is an internationally recognized government document, usually valid for 10 years.
The State Department is expected to begin issuing the passports this summer. It is not yet clear how many will be made.
The Back Cover Will Feature Founding-Era Artwork
According to the mockup, the back cover will show an image from John Trumbull’s painting ‘The Declaration Of Independence.’
The current U.S. passport design features Percy Moran’s painting of Francis Scott Key the morning after the bombardment of Fort McHenry. That battle inspired Key to write what later became the national anthem. Lines from the anthem are also printed inside the front cover.
The Trump passport design is part of a broader wave of 250th anniversary items featuring the president’s likeness.
Trump Has Appeared On Other Commemorative Designs
The Department of the Interior previously announced new national park pass designs for the anniversary. One design features Trump’s face alongside George Washington.
“It is the department’s honor to showcase the America the Beautiful pass honoring America’s 250th anniversary and the generations who have protected our lands,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a department video.
Last month, Trump’s handpicked Commission of Fine Arts also approved a commemorative coin for the country’s 250th birthday featuring his likeness.
Trump’s name has also been attached to the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace.
For supporters, the passport may be viewed as a patriotic anniversary design. For critics, placing Trump’s face inside an official travel document will likely raise a very different question: how much Trump branding is too much?
