The State Department announced Tuesday it will release a limited run of commemorative U.S. passports featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations — making Trump the first living president ever depicted in an American travel document.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 of the special passports will be available at the Washington, D.C., passport agency beginning shortly before July 4. The commemorative version will serve as the default document for applicants visiting the Washington office in person; anyone wanting a standard design can still apply online or at offices outside the capital.
The design places Trump’s engraved-style portrait and gold-imprinted signature on the interior cover, alongside imagery from the Declaration of Independence and the American flag. A separate interior page reproduces John Trumbull’s painting of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration. The back cover carries a navy-and-gold version of the first official U.S. flag — adopted by Congress in 1777 — with the number 250 set among 13 stars. The standard cover layout is also reversed: “United States of America” appears at the top and “Passport” at the bottom in bold gold lettering.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said all existing security features will be preserved. The concept had been under internal review for months before receiving final approval late Monday. The passport move follows other administration branding actions, including adding the president’s name to the U.S. Institute of Peace building and the Kennedy Center, and discussions about placing his signature on new currency.
Spartanburg-area residents applying for a passport at the Washington office this summer would receive the commemorative book by default; the standard passport remains available online or at other agencies. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has championed America250 programming broadly. The wider initiative also includes a Grand Prix race on the National Mall in August and a UFC event on the White House South Lawn in June.
