A new chapter in American currency history is unfolding as President Trump prepares to put his own signature on the nation’s money.
The announcement came via Truth Social on Friday, when Trump shared an image of the redesigned $100 bill, setting the stage for a first-of-its-kind moment in U.S. financial history.
No sitting president has ever had their signature appear on American paper currency until now.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent‘s signature will sit beside Trump’s on the note, with both signatures placed in the bottom left corner of the bill.
Despite the historic addition, most of the bill’s classic design stays intact. Benjamin Franklin’s portrait continues to anchor the front of the note, untouched by the update.
Timing appears central to the rollout.
The redesigned $100 bill is slated to enter circulation around the same period the country marks 250 years of independence, linking the currency change directly to the Semiquincentennial celebrations.
Reaction from Treasury leadership came swiftly. Bessent reposted Trump’s image and used the word “only appropriate” to describe releasing such a bill during America’s milestone anniversary year.
Taking to X, Bessent connected the currency update to sweeping claims about the nation’s financial trajectory.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are on a path toward unprecedented economic growth, lasting dollar dominance, and fiscal strength and stability,” Bessent wrote.
His statement continued, framing the signature as a tribute befitting the moment.
“There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J Trump than US dollar bills bearing his signature, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the Semiquincentennial,” Bessent wrote.
Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Bessent used nearly identical language — he had shared a similar message back in March, when the signature idea was first floated publicly.
Treasurer Brandon Beach joined the chorus of support, framing Trump’s economic record as justification for the honor.
“The president’s mark on history as the architect of America’s Golden Age economic revival is undeniable,” Beach said.
Beach went further, calling the gesture more than symbolic. “Printing his signature on the American currency is not only appropriate, but also well-deserved,” he said.
A firm release date for the new $100 notes has not yet been set.
Based on standard procedure, the bills will need to pass through printing at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing before the Federal Reserve handles distribution — a process that typically spans several weeks.
The $100 bill isn’t the only currency proposal generating buzz. Bessent has also thrown his weight behind a separate concept: putting Trump’s face on an entirely new $250 bill.
That idea got fresh attention in May, when Bessent appeared on Fox News and defended the concept as tied to the timing of Trump’s presidency.
“I think it’s fitting. President Trump is the president during our 250th anniversary,” Bessent told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.
Unlike the $100 bill redesign, the $250 bill faces a real legal obstacle.
A federal law dating back 159 years currently bars any living person from being featured on U.S. currency, meaning Congress would have to pass an amendment before the bill could move forward.
Bessent has indicated Treasury is ready to act the moment lawmakers give approval. “It’s all up on Capitol Hill.
At Treasury, we prepare things in advance. So we have prepared, in advance, that if the legislation is passed, but we will stick to the law,” Bessent said during a briefing with reporters.
To bolster his case for the $250 bill during the Fox News interview, Bessent invoked a decades-old precedent involving a former president honored during a similar national milestone.
He referenced Calvin Coolidge, whose presidency coincided with a commemorative coin marking the country’s 150th birthday.
“Calvin Coolidge was president during the 150th anniversary. And there was a coin printed for him,” Bessent said.
He wrapped up his comments by describing the proposed $250 bill as a fitting way to honor a consequential presidency. “And I think it’s a great celebratory note for a great president,” he added.
For now, the redesigned $100 bill carrying Trump’s signature is moving ahead without legislative hurdles, while the fate of the $250 bill remains squarely in the hands of Congress.
