U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there is nothing untoward about a commemorative $250 [1] bill featuring President Donald Trump's portrait.
The move would represent a significant departure from standard U.S. currency denominations and the traditional process of selecting figures for national banknotes. Such a change would require specific legislative action from Congress to be legally implemented.
Speaking during a White House press briefing on Thursday, May 28, Bessent addressed questions from CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins regarding the preparation for this specific denomination [1]. He said that the Treasury Department is not initiating the change but is instead preparing for the possibility that the law may change [1].
"There's nothing untoward about the President's face on a $250 bill," Bessent said [1].
Bessent said that the department is simply preparing for the possibility that Congress could pass legislation for a $250 [2] commemorative bill featuring President Trump [2]. He said that the Treasury is not planning anything illegal and is merely ensuring readiness if the legal framework changes [3].
While the Treasury Secretary maintains the process is standard preparation, other observers have questioned the propriety of the plan. Some reports describe the potential move as legally dubious, a claim Bessent countered by stating the department is simply awaiting potential congressional authorization [1], [3].
Under current law, the Treasury cannot unilaterally change the denomination or the portrait of U.S. currency without a mandate from the legislative branch. The $250 [1] denomination is not currently a circulating piece of U.S. currency, making any such issuance a rare event in the history of the American monetary system.
“"There's nothing untoward about the President's face on a $250 bill."”
This development highlights a potential shift in how the U.S. government utilizes national currency for commemorative purposes. By preparing for a $250 denomination, the Treasury is signaling a readiness to execute a highly unconventional request from the legislative branch, which would break long-standing norms regarding currency design and value.
