huffpost Press
We Could Be Getting A $250 Bill With Trump's Face On It — And The Social Media Is Rich With Jokes
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that the agency could create a $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump ― but that doesn’t mean social media users are buying it. Bessent told reporters that while federal law prohibits featuring living people on U.S. currency, there is legislation in the House to change that requirement so that his boss can be on the proposed bill. Although Trump has a habit of putting his name and likeness on anything possible, Bessent insisted his administration isn’t lobbying for the bill and said the decision is solely in the hands of the House and the Senate. It has been illegal to put a living person on U.S. currency since 1866, although there is a special provision for currency commemorating an event. “I don’t think there is anything untoward about having the president of the United States — the person who is president of the United States — on the $250 bill,” Bessent insisted. Social media users didn’t seem as excited as Bessent about seeing Trump’s face in their wallets. This would have been much more useful when our nation was out of toilet paper. https://t.co/O7lWiWsN3g pic.twitter.com/FK3yyCso1b Fixed it https://t.co/s15pjooShL pic.twitter.com/stCMbZuKP0 I’d vote for this before that TBH. https://t.co/IRLsGD7mjn pic.twitter.com/z3E6blWYsH In violation of laws against putting a living president’s likeness on our currency, Donald Trump wants his image on a $250 bill.How about trying to help Americans with their bills instead? https://t.co/juN7ukaJwi George Washington declined to be featured on currency when he was living, fearing it would be reminiscent of a monarch.Congress in 1866 passed the Thayer amendment, which stated "no portrait or likeness of any living person shall be engraved or placed upon any of the bonds,… https://t.co/yNR5Q3Soor I'll bet he'd find something "untoward" about it if it were President Harris on that bill. Of course, President Harris never would have made up a $250 bill in the first place. https://t.co/g3xrRIrsrA No living US president has had their face on US currency in 150 years since Congress passed a law banning it. Because that’s what dictators and autocrats do. https://t.co/vJqcdFs4nW Could that get 60 votes? Could it get 51? Probably not. https://t.co/mMvgkCbmiC America’s 250th anniversary is supposed to celebrate the rejection of kings. Putting a living president’s face on a vanity $250 bill is exactly the kind of cult nonsense the Founders despised. https://t.co/Q6DMxlmYy8 They're coming for W's all time low approval record and nothing will get in their way. https://t.co/CJP38gSUUo Who TF carries around a $250 bill especially with a criminals face on it? https://t.co/QuiN97T7A4 But one person saw at least one good thing about Bessent’s proposal: He seems willing to let Congress do its job. A welcome concession from the White House that we have a Congress and that the laws it passes matter. https://t.co/hTodnJeD83 By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.