The Trump administration is working to include President Donald Trump’s face or signature on U.S. coins and banknotes, despite a longstanding U.S. law that prohibits the depiction of living individuals on paper currency. This would mark a significant departure from American tradition, as the only time a sitting president appeared on U.S. currency was in 1926 on a commemorative half-dollar coin featuring Calvin Coolidge. The move has sparked debate about the balance between presidential influence and constitutional norms. Globally, the use of a sitting leader’s image on currency is rare, particularly in countries that are not hereditary monarchies. According to a global analysis, only 13% of countries feature the portrait of their current head of state on coins, and 15% do so on banknotes. Most of these are monarchies, where the head of state is often a hereditary figure. One notable exception is Botswana, a democratic republic, which has traditionally used the portrait of its sitting president on its 10-pula banknote, though the current president's image has not yet been issued. Efforts to put Trump’s image on U.S. currency have been ongoing. In January 2026, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which had been appointed by Trump, recommended designs for a one-dollar coin and a 24-carat gold commemorative coin featuring his portrait. However, production delays at the U.S. Mint have postponed the release of these coins. In March 2026, the U.S. Treasury announced plans to include Trump’s signature on new banknotes. But in April, Patricia Solimene, the director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, was reassigned after refusing to support a $250 bill with Trump’s portrait. Solimene referenced the phrase “The buck stops here,” indicating her personal responsibility for the decision. In May, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly introduced a proposal for a $250 bill featuring Trump. The plan would require changing a 160-year-old law that currently bars the depiction of living people on U.S. banknotes. The proposed amendment, the Donald J. Trump $250 Bill Act, is now under review by the Financial Services Committee in the House of Representatives. While the Treasury claims it already has the authority to produce coins with Trump’s image, the law remains an obstacle for banknotes. The proposal has drawn criticism, with Senator Jeff Merkley calling it an authoritarian move similar to that of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Bessent, however, has said the idea does not appear inappropriate. The U.S. is not a hereditary monarchy, making the proposal to feature a sitting president on currency particularly unusual. This has led to the rise of the “No Kings” movement, which has mobilized millions of Americans to protest what they see as Trump’s push toward monarchist ideals. The debate highlights broader concerns about the separation of powers and the role of the presidency in shaping national symbols.