In a historic first, US President Donald Trump’s signature will soon appear on American paper currency, marking a major departure from a 165-year-old tradition as part of the country’s 250th Independence anniversary celebrations.

The US Treasury Department said redesigned notes, beginning with $100 bills, will be printed from June and gradually enter circulation over the following weeks. The new currency will carry Trump’s signature alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The move makes Trump the first sitting US president to have his signature featured on federal currency since its introduction in 1861. In another significant shift, the redesign will remove the signature of the US Treasurer — a feature that has remained on American banknotes for over a century and a half.

The Treasury is continuing to print notes bearing the signatures of former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and former Treasurer Lynn Malerba, which will remain in circulation alongside the new series. Malerba will be the last in an unbroken line of treasurers whose signatures have appeared on US currency since 1861.

The initiative is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to imprint the president’s name and legacy across public institutions and commemorative projects. Recently, a federal arts panel approved the design of a commemorative gold coin featuring Trump’s image for the anniversary celebrations.

Defending the decision, Bessent highlighted the symbolic importance of the move. “There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than U.S. dollar bills bearing his name, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the Semiquincentennial,” he said.

He added, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are on a path toward unprecedented economic growth, lasting dollar dominance, and fiscal strength and stability.”

US Treasurer Brandon Beach also backed the move, saying in a social media post, “In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, President Donald J Trump’s signature alongside (Treasury) Secretary Scott Bessent's will soon appear on US currency, marking a first in history, and symbolizes @POTUS' leadership and dedication to our great nation will carry a lasting impact,”

Beach further said the president’s legacy as the architect of a “golden age economic revival” makes the decision both fitting and well deserved.

Former Treasurer Jovita Carranza supported the change, calling it “a powerful symbol of American resilience, the enduring strength of free enterprise and the promise of continued greatness.”

Under existing US law, the Treasury has broad authority to redesign currency to enhance security features, though certain elements — including the phrase “In God We Trust” and the use of portraits of deceased individuals — must remain unchanged. As such, the overall design of the notes will stay largely the same, with Trump’s signature replacing that of the Treasurer.

Efforts to introduce a circulating $1 coin featuring Trump have faced legal hurdles, as US regulations prohibit depictions of living individuals on coins.

The rollout of the new currency is expected to begin this summer, coinciding with nationwide events marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence.