Hirono, Colleagues Urge Secretary Bessent to Reject Proposed Dollar Coin Designs Featuring Donald Trump

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and 6 colleagues in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, calling on him to reject the proposed designs for the Semiquincentennial dollar coin featuring the likeness of President Donald Trump.

"American lawmakers throughout history have reaffirmed the time-honored tradition of not circulating U.S. currency with images of currently elected officials," wrote the Senators. "For centuries, minting sitting presidents on U.S. currency has been avoided to prevent the appearance that the U.S. is a monarchy or subject to a cult of personality. While the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have featured images of former Queen Elizabeth II for decades, and now also feature King Charles III on their banknotes, the United States has never, and we should not now, mint circulating currency with images of currently elected officials."

On November 18, the U.S. Mint published draft designs for the Semiquincentennial $1 Coin, which include three different portrait options placing President Trump on the front of the coin.

The Senators continue: "A portrait of President Trump is the only CCAC proposed design option for the semiquincentennial $1 coin, all but confirming the U.S. Mint intends to mint a circulating coin with a portrait of President Trump while he is in office. Putting an image of President Trump on a circulating coin is not only inconsistent with congressional intent to honor 250 years of United States' history, but also un-American. We should not depict a living, current president on U.S. currency."

In addition to Senators Hirono, Merkley, and Cortez Masto, the letter was signed by Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Bessent:

American lawmakers throughout history have reaffirmed the time-honored tradition of not circulating U.S. currency with images of currently elected officials. For centuries, minting sitting presidents on U.S. currency has been avoided to prevent the appearance that the U.S. is a monarchy or subject to a cult of personality. While the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have featured images of former Queen Elizabeth II for decades, and now also feature King Charles III on their banknotes, the United States has never, and we should not now, mint circulating currency with images of currently elected officials.

Unfortunately, on November 18, 2025, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) published the semiquincentennial $1 coin design proposals, which includes three different portrait options of President Trump on the obverse design. A portrait of President Trump is the only CCAC proposed design option for the semiquincentennial $1 coin, all but confirming the U.S. Mint intends to mint a circulating coin with a portrait of President Trump while he is in office. Putting an image of President Trump on a circulating coin is not only inconsistent with congressional intent to honor 250 years of United States' history, but also un-American. We should not depict a living, current president on U.S. currency.

Furthermore, historically, federal law forbids the inclusion of living people on U.S. currency. The Contraction Act of 1866 (31 U.S.C. § 5114(b)). specifically states that "[o]nly the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities." The potential inclusion of President Trump's image on a semiquincentennial coin would violate 31 U.S.C. § 5114(b).

When Congress passed the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-330), it was seen as an opportunity for the U.S. Mint to honor our Nation's Semiquincentennial by providing unique quarters and dollars related to our long history. The law clearly requires that the designs selected by you following your consultation with the U.S. Commission of Fine Artsand the CCAC be "emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial, including at least one quarter dollar design emblematic of a woman's or women's contribution to the birth of the Nation or the Declaration of Independence or any other monumental moments in American History." It also requires that your design selections be made "in consultation with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission and with recommendations from the general public." As the coin design featuring President Trump does not satisfy those requirements, you must reject it.

There is a time and place for Presidents to be honored with circulating currency. The Presidential $1 Coin Act (PL: 109-145)5would provide that honor upon the death of the President. That authority has expired. The Presidential and First Spouse Coin Act of 2025 (S. 633) would automatically mint $1 coins for all presidents posthumously. All Presidents who have died, with the exception of the recently deceased President Jimmy Carter, have been honored with a $1 circulating coin.

In closing, we urge you to follow the intent of the law and choose designs for the Semiquincentennial quarter and dollar that honor images and concepts foundational to American history, not those honoring or promoting the current President of the United States.

Sincerely,

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