The United States State Department has unveiled a limited-edition redesign of the American passport that places President Donald Trump’s portrait on an interior page, making him the first sitting president to appear on an official US travel document. The commemorative passports are tied to the country’s 250th anniversary of independence and are expected to be available this summer.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed the announcement on April 29, saying the passports form part of the broader “America250” programme marking the semiquincentennial. Pigott said: “As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US passports to commemorate this historic occasion. These passports will feature customized artwork and enhanced imagery while maintaining the same security features that make the US passport the most secure documents in the world.”
Mock-up images released by the State Department show Trump’s portrait set against text from the Declaration of Independence, with his signature printed in gold beneath it. A second interior page features a reproduction of John Trumbull’s 1819 painting depicting the Founding Fathers at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The cover design has also been slightly altered, with “United States of America” moved to the top in bold gold lettering, reversing the standard layout.
The commemorative passports will be available exclusively at the Washington, DC, passport office, at no additional cost to applicants, for as long as inventory lasts. Standard passport designs will remain in use at all other issuing locations, including online applications. An official confirmed to TIME that the rollout is planned to coincide with the July 4 celebrations.
The announcement has drawn widespread criticism from Democratic lawmakers and passport experts. Georgetown University historian Edward Kolla, described by The Bulwark as an expert on US passport history, said the move was without modern precedent, noting that no foreign passport features the head of state of any country. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland called the decision a sign of democratic backsliding, while the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said it was a distraction from rising travel and energy costs linked to the Iran conflict, adding that airfares and fuel prices are already straining household budgets.
The passport redesign is the latest in a series of measures under the Trump administration to place the president’s image or name on federal institutions and commemorative items. The Treasury Department has announced Trump’s signature will appear on paper currency, the US Mint is preparing a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring his portrait, and national parks passes have also been updated to include his image. Trump has also proposed renaming transit hubs including New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport after himself, though those efforts have not advanced.
Public reaction on social media has been divided. Some users said they planned to renew their existing passports before the commemorative version becomes available, while others questioned the broader signal sent by placing a sitting president’s image on a document required for international travel.
