The U.S. government, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, has launched a special edition passport to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, featuring an image of Trump on the passport page. This marks the first time the image of a sitting president appears in a U.S. passport.
President Donald Trump posted a design of the special edition passport cover on the Truth Social platform, revealing the redesigned passport page that includes a photo of himself with a clenched fist on the desk in the White House. The backdrop features the U.S. Declaration of Independence, with Trump's signature below. Opposite this is a historic painting of the Declaration of Independence by artist John Trumbull.
Trump stated in his post, "The new U.S. passport says, 'Welcome, but behave yourself!'"
Later, the White House's X account shared the image with a caption describing it as a "patriotic passport" to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. The image of Trump on this passport was updated from the version the State Department released in April, based on his official portrait in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
The U.S. State Department announced that this historic passport edition will be available for reservation starting 6 July 2023 GMT+7, in limited quantities while supplies last. However, access to this document is quite restricted and available only to U.S. citizens.
Importantly, citizens cannot apply online or by mail but must schedule an appointment to apply in person at the passport office in Washington, D.C., or attend special events organized for this purpose. Currently, the State Department's website lists only two event locations, both at Washington offices, with plans to add more later.
A State Department official told CNN that this passport edition will serve as the "default standard" for those renewing passports in person at the Washington office during this period. Those applying online or at other service points will continue to receive the previous passport design, which currently features historical scenes such as the moon landing, the Statue of Liberty, or paintings inspiring the U.S. national anthem. It remains unclear whether applicants at the Washington office can opt out of receiving this special edition.
The launch of this passport edition is the first in U.S. history to feature the image of a living, incumbent president, reflecting Trump's efforts to imprint his name and image on national documents and institutions.
Beyond the passport, the U.S. Mint recently announced plans to produce commemorative gold coins bearing Trump's likeness for the country's 250th anniversary this summer. Trump also aims to make history as the first sitting president to have his signature appear on U.S. dollar bills.
Previously, Trump sought to leave his mark in Washington, D.C., in various ways, including attempting to add his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—an effort later reversed—and announcing plans to build the "Arc de Trump," a massive triumphal arch in Washington modeled after Paris's Arc de Triomphe.