Trump portrait added to limited-edition US passport

The Trump administration has unveiled a limited-edition U.S. passport featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait, a commemorative design tied to America’s 250th anniversary and available only through restricted in-person channels in Washington, D.C.

The White House described the document as a “patriot passport” after Trump posted images of the redesigned passport pages on Truth Social on Friday. “The U.S.A.’s New Passport, which says, ‘Welcome, but be good!’” Trump wrote. The phrase does not appear in the images he shared, the BBC reported.

The State Department says the commemorative passport was created “to commemorate the historic occasion of America’s 250th anniversary” and will be issued at the Washington Passport Agency starting July 6, 2026, while supplies last, The Guardian reported. The BBC reported the passports will become available on 6 July and only while supplies last.

The new design shows Trump leaning over the Resolute Desk with clenched fists, with text from the Declaration of Independence behind him and his signature below. The Guardian reported the portrait was taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok and also hangs in the Smithsonian America’s Presidents exhibition. A facing page shows an image of the founders signing the Declaration of Independence that appears to be based on a John Trumbull painting displayed at the Yale University Art Gallery.

The design has changed since the State Department first announced the commemorative passport in April. The earlier version showed only Trump’s face, placed his signature in gold rather than black, and did not include the number “250.” The finished version includes “250” in gold and a “Freedom 250” gold flag on the back cover, according to The Guardian.

Access to the passport is limited. Americans cannot apply online or by mail, according to the State Department. Applicants must schedule an in-person appointment at the Washington Passport Agency or attend one of a small number of special acceptance events designated for the commemorative passport. The BBC reported that only two such events were listed on the department’s website, both at the Washington Passport Agency, with more to be added as they are announced.

Passports are available only to U.S. citizens. It is not clear whether Americans applying in person at the Washington Passport Agency will be able to opt out of the special edition, the BBC reported.

Current U.S. passports typically show scenes from American history, including the Moon landing, and national symbols such as the Statue of Liberty. The BBC reported that the new commemorative passport marks the first time a living, current president has appeared on a U.S. passport.

The passport is part of a broader push to place Trump’s name or likeness on government-linked items and institutions. The U.S. Mint has announced plans for a commemorative gold coin featuring Trump as part of the 250th anniversary, and the president is also set to become the first sitting U.S. president to have his signature on American banknotes, the BBC reported.

The coin and passport plans have drawn criticism from Democrats. Earlier this month, Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon urged the administration to stop production of a solid-gold 250th anniversary coin bearing the same image of Trump and the words “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT,” a reference to his chant after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, almost two years ago, The Guardian reported.

“At the very least, the mint should ensure that a coin intended to honor the nation’s 250th anniversary is not made of gold linked to exploitation and criminal activity,” the senators said, adding that the coin “is more befitting a monarchy than a democracy.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom also mocked the passport proposal when it was first discussed, posting a mock-up of a gold-hued driver’s license featuring his own face, according to The Guardian.