The 'TRUMP Act' Bans All Living Presidents and People from US Currency Designs

The Restrict Ugly Money Portraits of 2025—or the TRUMP Act of 2025, as it’s officially titled—is a short but very pointed piece of legislation that changes the rules for whose face can appear on U.S. money. The core of the bill is simple: it bans the portrait of any living President from appearing on any U.S. coin, including special commemorative ones. Taking it a step further, it also prohibits the portrait or bust of any living person from being included in the design of U.S. paper currency, amending Section 5112 of title 31, United States Code.

Why the Sudden Change to Our Pocket Change?

Historically, the U.S. has stuck to a general rule of only featuring deceased historical figures on its standard circulating currency—think Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin. This bill essentially formalizes and expands that tradition, but with a clear, targeted focus. By explicitly banning any living President from coins, the bill removes the possibility of future administrations or Congresses quickly commissioning commemorative coins to honor a sitting or recently departed President, a move that could be seen as political self-aggrandizement. For the average person, this means that even if a President achieves something monumental during their term, you won’t see their face pop up on a special quarter or dollar coin while they’re still around.

The Paper Money Catch

The most sweeping change is the blanket ban on any living person's image on paper currency. While it’s rare for a living person to be on a dollar bill, this provision removes the Treasury’s flexibility entirely. Imagine a scenario where the U.S. wanted to issue a special, limited-run banknote to honor a living Nobel laureate or a Medal of Honor recipient—someone who truly deserves the recognition. This bill would make that impossible. The impact here is on national symbolism and the ability to honor contemporary figures; it limits the tools the government has to celebrate living American heroes through the medium of currency.

The Political Subtext: Reading Between the Lines

While the bill’s text is straightforward about currency design, the name—The Restrict Ugly Money Portraits of 2025, or the TRUMP Act of 2025—is the elephant in the room. This unusual naming convention strongly suggests the legislation is less about administrative reform and more about political targeting. By explicitly linking the bill to a specific former President, the sponsors are signaling a clear political motivation behind the symbolic change. This is a rare instance where the short title of a bill provides more insight into the legislative intent than the actual provisions themselves, raising questions about whether this is good policy or just a highly visible political statement designed to limit a specific person's future symbolic honors.