Washington DC: The US Treasury Department has prepared preliminary mock-up designs for a proposed $250 currency note featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed during a White House briefing.

Bessent said the proposal would require Congressional approval because current US law prohibits living individuals from appearing on American currency notes.

"There are two mandates for US currency. At present, no living person can be on US currency, and the currency must stay in God we trust. So right now there is proposed legislation that is in front of the House and Senate to change the first requirement so that a living person, Donald Trump, could be on a $250 bill"

The Treasury Secretary added that officials had already asked the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to prepare sample designs in case lawmakers approve the proposed legislation.

"At Treasury, we prepared things in advance. So we have prepared in advance that if the legislation is passed, but we will stick to the law," he added.

The proposal has reportedly sparked tensions within the Treasury Department’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing, according to a report by The New York Times.

The controversy coincided with the sudden reassignment of the bureau’s former director Patricia Solimene, who indicated in a note to staff that the transfer was not voluntary.

"I have never sacrificed the values or character of myself or the organisation and always prioritised the U.S. Currency Program and the value each employee brings to the mission," she wrote.

"The buck stopped here," she added before stepping down from the role.

The Washington Post had earlier reported on both the proposed $250 Trump bill and Solimene’s reassignment.

Trump has previously indicated interest in leaving a lasting mark on US currency and national symbols. Last year, designs for a commemorative coin featuring his image were unveiled, triggering criticism over legal and ethical concerns linked to long-standing traditions that discourage depicting living individuals on US currency.

According to The New York Times, a 24-karat commemorative gold coin bearing Trump’s likeness was approved in March by an arts commission appointed during his presidency. The coin reportedly featured Trump with a stern facial expression and clenched fists, with an eagle displayed on the reverse side.

Separately, the Treasury Department had also announced that Trump would become the first sitting US president to have his signature appear on the US dollar alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, replacing the traditional signature of the US treasurer, the report said.

The proposal has reignited debate over the traditions and rules governing US currency design, a process that usually takes years because of security, historical and institutional considerations.

A previous proposal during Trump’s first term to replace former President Andrew Jackson with abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill was also delayed.