Trump’s signature to be added to new U.S. paper currency: U.S. Treasury

The U.S. Treasury Department announced that President Donald Trump’s signature will be added to new U.S. paper currency, a historic change that breaks a tradition lasting more than a century and a half.

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What the Treasury announced

• First sitting president’s signature: Beginning this summer, newly printed Federal Reserve notes will feature President Trump’s signature alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. This is the first time a sitting U.S. president’s signature will appear on paper currency.
• End of the treasurer’s signature tradition: The move also removes the signature of the U.S. Treasurer—a feature present since 1861—ending a 165‑year tradition.
• Initial rollout: The first denomination to carry the new signature will be the $100 bill, with printing set to begin in June, followed by other denominations in subsequent months.

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Why the change is happening now

The Treasury frames the change as part of commemorating the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary. Secretary Bessent described the move as appropriate given what the administration characterises as strong economic growth and financial stability, underscoring the symbolic significance of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations.

Alongside the signature change, recent initiatives have included other Trump‑era steps to place his name or image on national symbols, institutions, or commemorative items.

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What remains the same on the new bills

Treasury officials noted that the broader design of the bills will not change apart from replacing the Treasurer’s signature with the President’s. Existing elements of the currency, such as required text and portraits, remain governed by federal law, and the government will continue producing notes bearing prior officials’ signatures in the interim.

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What to expect next

• Circulation timeline: Newly printed notes will take some time to enter circulation after printing begins, as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces and supplies the redesigned bills.
• Continued use of older notes: Currency already in circulation or printed earlier with previous signatures will remain legal tender.
• Possible public reaction: The unprecedented nature of this change, combined with broader political dynamics and commemorative efforts, may spark debate among observers, policymakers, and the public as the redesigned bills roll out.

The Treasury’s announcement marks a landmark shift in U.S. currency design: a sitting president’s signature on paper money for the first time, paired with the removal of a signature that has appeared since the Civil War era. The first bills featuring the new signature are expected to be printed starting June, ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary.