Donald Trump’s picture will soon appear in some US passports, officials said on Tuesday (Apr 28), shattering another norm as the president aggressively puts his personal stamp on government institutions.
The State Department, following reports by Fox News and The Bulwark, confirmed it would offer a limited-edition passport to mark this year’s 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
The articles included two images set to appear inside the passports, one of Trump’s official photo imposed over the Declaration of Independence, with his signature - in gold - underneath.
The second showed a historic painting of the US founding fathers.
“As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” spokesman Tommy Pigott said on X, linking to the Fox News piece.
Another State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Trump-themed passports would only be available in Washington “for as long as there is availability” and at no additional cost.
It was not immediately clear if passport applicants could refuse the special edition.
There are few modern precedents anywhere in the world, let alone in a democracy, of sitting leaders’ pictures appearing in passports, with most countries preferring to depict historical imagery or nature.
Current US passports depict multiple scenes from the country’s history such as the Moon landing along with historic sites such as the Statue of Liberty.
Since returning to office last year, Trump has slapped his name and image on government institutions in an unprecedented way.
Several government buildings in the capital have put up banners of the president, while officials have added his name onto the Kennedy Center and the dismantled US Institute of Peace.
Last month the Treasury Department also said Trump’s signature would soon start appearing on the dollar, in another first.
Britain and other Commonwealth countries feature on their currency the likeness of King Charles III, who is a head of state without direct involvement in politics. The king met with Trump on Tuesday during a state visit to Washington.
Source: AFP
-- Agencies
