Trump told to 'get over yourself' as administration pushes to have his face on new $250 bill
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Money
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Money
It's not new information that President Donald Trump likes to put his own spin on things, and he now wants his own face on a $250 bill.
Trump has made a barrage of changes since returning to office. From numerous physical changes to the White House, to hundreds of new executive orders that have changed America as we know it – it's safe to say that the POTUS doesn't do anything in halves.
Now, as the US approaches 250 years of independence, Trump wants to make sure he's remembered as being president at the time of the milestone anniversary.
How, I hear you ask? By having his face on a dollar note, of course.
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But there's some hurdles that the Trump administration must tackle before they can achieve this.
Firstly, it's federal law that people who appear on a dollar bill – George Washington, for example – have to be dead.
The law, dating back to 1866, prohibits the image of any living person on 'the bonds, securities, notes, or postal currency of the United States', per Britannica.
With this in mind, the Trump administration has proposed new legislation that would allow for his face to be on a $250 bill to mark 250 years of independence in the States; but Congress will need to sign off on it.
Speaking at a recent news conference, US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said: (per The Guardian) "As treasury secretary, I have two mandates for US currency at present: that no living person can be on US currency, and the currency must say 'In God we trust'.
"So, right now, there is proposed legislation in front of the House, in front of the Senate, to change the first requirement, so that a living person – Donald J Trump – could be on the $250 bill."
Ultimately Bessent said that the treasury department will 'stick the law' and that the decision to change legislation is 'all up to Capitol Hill'.
The proposal has already been met with criticism. Hakeem Jeffries, the top US House Democrat, took to Twitter to share his thoughts.
"Hard No on a Trump $250 bill," he wrote. "Get over yourself. The upcoming July 4th anniversary is not about a wannabe King. It’s about celebrating the American journey."
British painter Iain Alexander is the one to have designed the mock-up. Supposedly he's the president's 'favorite British artist', he told The Washington Post.
In a statement to the newspaper, a Treasury Department spokesperson said the printing office 'is conducting appropriate planning and due diligence' in response to the proposed legislation.
They added: "Should this legislative mandate be signed into law, the [Bureau of Engraving & Printing] is moving proactively to produce a $250 commemorative note which will appropriately recognize the 250th Anniversary of our great nation."