Trump to become first US President to sign currency, breaking 165-year tradition

WEB DESK: U.S. paper currency is set for a historic redesign this summer as the Treasury Department confirmed on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s signature will appear on legal tender.

The move marks the first time in American history that a sitting president’s signature will be featured on the nation’s banknotes, effectively ending a tradition that has remained unbroken since the mid-19th century, according to Reuters.

The new notes, scheduled for production in June, are being issued to commemorate the Semi quincentennial the 250th anniversary of the United States.

While the general aesthetics of the bills will remain unchanged, the President’s signature will replace that of the U.S. Treasurer, a role that has appeared on every piece of federal currency since 1861.

A departure from fiscal custom

For over 160 years, U.S. banknotes have traditionally borne the signatures of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Treasurer of the United States. By replacing the Treasurer’s mark with his own, President Trump is displacing a lineage of fiscal oversight that began during the Lincoln administration.

The current Treasurer, Brandon Beach, described the decision as a fitting tribute to the country’s “Golden Age economic revival.

In a statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed this sentiment, suggesting there is “no more powerful way” to recognise the current administration’s impact on “dollar dominance” and “fiscal strength” than by placing the President’s name directly onto the currency.

The first denominations to undergo the change will be the $100 bills, which will feature the signatures of both Mr Trump and Mr Bessent. These are expected to enter circulation via banks several weeks after the initial printing.

Legal boundaries and the ‘Sharpie’ signature

While the President’s signature is moving onto paper money, his image remains restricted by long-standing statutes. Current U.S. law strictly prohibits the depiction of living individuals on circulating coins a regulation that recently halted efforts to produce a $1 coin featuring Trump’s likeness.

However, the Treasury maintains broad discretion over the design of Federal Reserve notes, provided they retain specific elements such as the “In God We Trust” motto and feature only deceased individuals in the main portraits.

The announcement has also drawn renewed attention to the President’s well-known preference for bold stationery.

Trump has frequently praised the “Sharpie” pen for its thick, indelible ink, often displaying his distinctive signature to the media following the signing of significant legislation.

As the Bureau of Engraving and Printing prepares for the June rollout, the Treasury confirmed it is still currently producing notes featuring the signatures of the previous administration’s officials, Janet Yellen and Lynn Malerba.

Malerba will officially be the final U.S. Treasurer to have her signature featured on the nation’s currency before the 165-year-old tradition concludes.