US to issue Trump-themed passports for America’s 250th anniversary

The United States will soon begin issuing passports featuring an image of President Donald Trump on the inside cover, a State Department official confirmed Tuesday, as part of commemorations for the nation’s 250th anniversary of independence.

The special passports will be available to individuals who renew their documents in person at the Washington Passport Agency, the official said. Online renewals and other locations will continue to offer the existing passport design.

“As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed U.S. passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

According to a mockup first published by Fox News, Trump’s face and his signature in gold will appear inside the front cover. The back cover will feature an image from John Trumbull’s painting “The Declaration of Independence.”

Pigott noted that the commemorative passports “will feature customized artwork and enhanced imagery while maintaining the same security features that make the U.S. passport the most secure documents in the world.”

The State Department plans to begin issuing the passports this summer. It remains unclear how many will be produced.

Unlike a commemorative coin or national park pass, a U.S. passport is an internationally recognised form of identification typically valid for ten years. The current standard design displays a painting of Francis Scott Key after the Battle of Fort McHenry, along with lines from the national anthem.

The move is the latest in a series of efforts to mark the semiquincentennial. Last year, the Department of the Interior announced new designs for park passes featuring Trump’s face alongside George Washington. Last month, the Commission of Fine Arts approved a commemorative coin bearing the president’s likeness. Trump’s name has also been affixed to both the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace.