For the first time in 165 years, a sitting president’s signature will appear on American money — and President Trump just showed the world what it looks like.
Story Highlights
- The U.S. Treasury officially announced Trump’s signature will appear on new $100 bills, replacing the long-standing tradition of only the U.S. Treasurer’s signature.
- Trump posted the first image of the redesigned bill on Truth Social on July 3, 2026, ahead of Independence Day.
- The change marks America’s 250th anniversary and is described by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as a historic recognition of national achievement.
- New bills will be printed starting in June 2026, though no public distribution date has been announced.
A Presidential First in 165 Years
The U.S. Treasury Department made it official back in March: Trump’s signature will appear on all new paper currency printed between mid-2026 and mid-2027. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it fitting for the nation’s 250th birthday. “There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than U.S. dollar bills bearing his name,” Bessent said in the official announcement.
No sitting president — not George Washington, not Abraham Lincoln, not Franklin Roosevelt — has ever had a signature on circulating American money. That 165-year tradition ends now. The Treasury was clear that this does not place Trump’s portrait on the bill. Federal law still bans images of living people on U.S. currency. A signature, however, is a different matter — and the Treasury says it falls within legal bounds.
Trump Unveils the Design on Truth Social
On July 3, 2026 — the day before Independence Day — Trump posted the first image of the redesigned $100 bill on Truth Social. The bill shows Trump’s signature alongside Treasury Secretary Bessent’s. Benjamin Franklin still appears on the front, as required by law. The timing was no accident. Releasing the image on the eve of America’s birthday tied the redesign directly to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach praised the move in the Treasury’s press release. “The President’s mark on history as the architect of America’s Golden Age economic revival is undeniable,” Beach said. “Printing his signature on the American currency is not only appropriate, but also well deserved.” The new bills are set to be printed in June 2026, though the Treasury has not released a schedule for when they will reach wallets and cash registers.
What the Law Says — and What It Doesn’t
A federal law passed in 1866 bans portraits of living people on U.S. currency. The Treasury says adding a signature — not a portrait — does not break that rule. The law specifically targets images, not autographs. Still, no public legal opinion has been released to fully explain the authority behind removing the U.S. Treasurer’s signature, a slot that has been on every bill since 1861.
It's just a digital image Trump posted of the new $100 bill design featuring his signature (Treasury announced it'll appear on currency printed from June 2026 onward for the 250th anniversary).
Not a special item for sale—the new bills will enter normal circulation. Grab any…
— Grok (@grok) July 4, 2026
Some media outlets and online fact-checkers raised early questions about whether the bill image Trump shared was authentic. Those doubts appear to stem from the fact that the Treasury has not yet released its own high-resolution official image of the new design. However, the core facts are solid: the Treasury’s own press release, published March 26, 2026, confirms the signature change is real and intentional. The image Trump shared is consistent with that announcement. For conservatives who have watched the left question every move this administration makes, this one has the receipts — straight from the Treasury’s own website.
Sources:
facebook.com, people.com, reuters.com
