Following the Washington Post's May 28, 2026 reporting on the proposed $250 bill, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent took questions at a White House press briefing and the Treasury Department issued formal statements to several news outlets. The exchange clarifies what the agency has actually committed to and what remains in Congress's hands.
The official Treasury statement
A Treasury Department spokesperson told the Washington Post — and similar statements were provided to CBS News, NPR, and CNN — that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing "is conducting appropriate planning and due diligence in response to the proposed legislation." The spokesperson added: "Should this legislative mandate be signed into law, the BEP is moving proactively to produce a $250 commemorative note which will appropriately recognize the 250th Anniversary of our great nation."
Bessent at the press briefing
At the May 28 briefing, Secretary Bessent held up a printed copy of the Washington Post article and pushed back on its framing. He told reporters: "Basically what it says is that Treasury is following the law, and that we've created the bill, and that it's up to Congress." He confirmed his political appointees had instructed staff to prepare designs, comparing it to advance preparation for other legislation: "We prepare for everything if it gets passed, just like we were ready six months in advance for the One Big Beautiful Bill for tax guidance."
Asked specifically by CNN's Kaitlan Collins whether putting Trump on the bill was appropriate, Bessent said he did not think there was "anything untoward" about it but added that authorization was "up to" Congress.
What Treasury has confirmed
- The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has prepared design mockups for a $250 note bearing Trump's portrait.
- The work was prompted by H.R.1761 and done as contingency planning, per the official statement.
- Trump's signature, separately, is being added to new $100 bills produced beginning in June 2026 — a different action that does not require Congress because signatures do not fall under the 1866 ban on "likeness."
What Treasury has not committed to
Treasury has not stated that it will print and circulate a $250 Trump bill regardless of Congress. The official line consistently routes back to "if Congress passes the law." That conditional matters: under current statute, the agency cannot lawfully issue currency featuring a living person's portrait without legislative change.