Trump unveils limited edition Patriot Passports featuring his image

Trump unveils limited edition Patriot Passports featuring his image

President Donald Trump on Friday, June 27, 2026, revealed the design for a limited-edition U.S. Passport featuring his own likeness to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The White House referred to the document as the patriot passport in a post on X.

The design includes a three-quarter-length portrait of the president leaning over the Resolute Desk with balled fists, a photo taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok that also appears in the Smithsonian America’s Presidents exhibition. This image is surrounded by text from the Declaration of Independence, with the president's signature in black and the words United States of America written below. The facing page depicts the founders signing the Declaration of Independence, based on a painting by John Trumbull from the Yale University Art Gallery, and includes the text United States of America 250.

The back cover of the passport features a Freedom 250 gold flag. On Truth Social, Trump described the document as The U.S.A.’s New Passport, which says, ‘Welcome, but be good!’ However, the phrase welcome but be good does not appear in the images of the passport pages shared by the president.

The State Department first announced a commemorative passport in April, but that version featured a different design consisting of a stern headshot, a gold signature, and no mention of the number 250. This is the first time a living, current president has appeared on a U.S. Passport.

Access to the Patriot Passport is highly restricted. According to the State Department, the documents are available only to American citizens and cannot be requested via mail or online. Applicants must schedule an in-person appointment at the Washington Passport Agency in Washington, D.C. The passports will be available starting July 6, 2026, and will be issued while supplies last at no extra cost.

The State Department has also listed two special acceptance events for the limited edition version at the Washington Passport Agency on Aug. 22 and Sept. 26, though it noted more events may be added. It remains unclear if citizens visiting the D.C. Agency can opt out of the special edition in favor of the current design, which features symbols such as the Statue of Liberty and the Moon landing.

The passport is part of a broader America250 celebration. This initiative has already included a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn and a Grand Prix race on the National Mall scheduled for August. From June 25 to July 10, the National Mall is being transformed into the Great American State Fair, featuring a 110-foot Ferris wheel, rodeo competitions, and pavilions for six territories and all 50 states.

Beyond the passport, the administration is introducing other commemorative items. The US Mint has announced a solid-gold coin featuring the president's image and the words FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT, a reference to his chant after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Additionally, Trump is set to be the first sitting president to have his signature on American banknotes.

These moves have drawn criticism from Democrats. Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts urged the administration to stop production of the gold coin, stating it is more befitting a monarchy than a democracy and citing reports that some gold used by the US Mint was mined illegally. California Governor Gavin Newsom previously mocked the plan by sharing a mock-up of a gold-hued driver’s license with his own face.

The release follows other efforts by Trump to link his image to national institutions. These include plans for an Arc de Trump—a massive triumphal arch in Washington mirrored after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris—and a previous attempt to add his name to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which was later removed.

The rollout of the passport coincides with stricter vetting policies for foreign visitors and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concludes in July.