The State Department is rolling out a limited-edition U.S. passport to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary—this time featuring President Donald Trump’s image and signature inside the document, a White House official and a source familiar with the plan told ABC News.
Mock-ups shared by the State Department on social media show the redesigned inner cover displaying Trump’s portrait layered over a stylized version of the Declaration of Independence, tying the modern presidency directly to the nation’s founding moment.
Under current plans, the special-edition passport will only be issued through the Washington Passport Agency. Applicants who go through that office will automatically receive the commemorative design, with no option to request the standard version, a State Department official told ABC News. Meanwhile, other passport agencies and the online renewal system will continue issuing the traditional design.
The Washington Passport Agency operates strictly by appointment, and securing a slot comes with specific requirements. Applicants must show proof of international travel within two weeks and agree to pay a $60 expedite fee. However, a department official said the commemorative passport itself will not carry any additional cost. It remains unclear whether the administration will ease the current travel requirement or adjust appointment rules as part of the rollout.
The limited-edition passport is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to mark the Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the United States—with high-visibility patriotic initiatives.
In announcing the redesign, a White House spokesperson emphasized the symbolic nature of the move: “President Trump’s new patriotic passport design provides yet another great way Americans can join in the spectacular celebrations for America’s 250th birthday.”
“President Trump continues to proudly lead a renewal of national pride and patriotism during our historic semiquincentennial celebration,” the spokesperson said.
The passport announcement follows a separate move by the Treasury Department earlier this year to add Trump’s signature to future U.S. paper currency—an unprecedented step that would make him the first sitting president to have his name appear on U.S. bills. Treasury officials said that decision, like the passport redesign, is intended to honor the nation’s 250-year milestone.
Together, the initiatives signal a coordinated effort by the administration to embed the Semiquincentennial celebration into everyday American life—from the money in circulation to the documents citizens carry abroad—while placing Trump at the center of that historic moment.
