US to issue passports featuring Trump’s picture to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary
By Jennifer Hansler, CNN
(CNN) — The US will soon begin issuing passports featuring an image of President Donald Trump inside, a State Department official said Tuesday.
The official said that the passport “will be the default passport out of the Washington Passport Agency when available” for those who renew their passports in person at that location.
“Online options or other locations will maintain existing passport design,” the official said.
The presence of Trump’s likeness in the US passports is the latest – and most significant – instance of his image being used for an item said to be commemorating the 250th anniversary of US independence. Unlike a commemorative coin or national park pass, a US passport is an internationally recognized form of identification that is typically valid for 10 years.
According to a mockup of the passport, Trump’s face and his signature in gold will appear on the inside cover.
“As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed U.S. Passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Tuesday.
“These passports will feature customized artwork and enhanced imagery while maintaining the same security features that make the U.S. Passport the most secure documents in the world,” he said.
The news was first reported by The Bulwark, and Fox News first published a mockup of the new passport.
The State Department will begin to issue the passports this summer. It is unclear how many will be issued.
According to the mockup of the passport, the back cover will show an image from “The Declaration of Independence” painting by John Trumbull.
Currently, the inside front cover of the US passports show an image of Percy Moran’s painting of Francis Scott Key the morning after the bombardment of Fort McHenry – the battle that inspired Key to write what would become the US national anthem. Lines from the anthem are also printed inside the front cover.
The Department of the Interior, which oversees national parks, announced last year it was unveiling “commemorative new designs” for park passes, one of which features Trump’s face alongside George Washington.
“It is the department’s honor to showcase the America the Beautiful pass honoring America’s 250th anniversary and the generations who have protected our lands,” Secretary Doug Burgum said in a video posted on the department’s website.
And last month, Trump’s handpicked Commission of Fine Arts voted to approve a commemorative coin for the United States’ 250th birthday featuring the president’s likeness.
Last year, Trump’s name was also affixed to both the Kennedy Center and the US Institute of Peace.
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