President Donald Trump has unveiled a new limited-edition US passport design featuring his own portrait, as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump shared images of the passport’s newly designed pages, which include a three-quarter-length portrait of him leaning over the Resolute Desk with balled fists, staring intensely into the camera, with the Declaration of Independence in the background and his signature below. The photograph, taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok, is the same image that hangs in the Smithsonian’s “America’s Presidents” exhibition.
“The U.S.A.’s New Passport, which says, ‘Welcome, but be good!'” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The phrase does not actually appear in the images of the passport pages he shared.
The White House reshared the images on its X account, dubbing the new document a “PATRIOT PASSPORT.”
Limited availability — and no opting out?
The commemorative passports will become available on 6 July and will be issued only while supplies last, the State Department said.
Access is strictly limited:
· Americans cannot apply online or via mail for the document
· Applicants must make an in-person appointment at the Washington Passport Agency
· Only two special acceptance events are currently listed, both in Washington
It remains unclear whether citizens applying in person at the Washington agency will be able to opt out of receiving the special edition.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency is “proud” to release a passport that “boldly honors our nation’s founding and our President.” The passport features a “Freedom 250” gold flag on the back cover.
A dramatic redesign
The final design differs significantly from the version first announced in April. Key changes include:
· Earlier version: A headshot of Trump with his signature in gold, without the number “250”
· Final version: A stern three-quarter-length portrait of Trump leaning over the Resolute Desk, his signature in black, with “250” written in gold
The portrait is surrounded by text from the Declaration of Independence. The facing page shows an image of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence, based on John Trumbull’s famous oil painting, with “United States of America 250” written beneath in red and gold.
‘More befitting a monarchy’ — political backlash
The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who have called the plans “more befitting a monarchy than a democracy.”
Earlier this month, Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden called on the administration to halt production of a commemorative solid-gold coin featuring the same Trump image, with the words “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT” — a reference to his chant after an assassination attempt nearly two years ago.
Critics have also questioned the broader implications. One social media user wrote: “The United States has 250 years of history, and Trump still looked at the passport and thought: Needs more me.” Another said: “Thank God: the Trump image passport is a limited-edition commemorative passport, not the standard passport that most Americans receive.”
Some have also pointed out the apparent confusion in Trump’s “Welcome, but be good!” message, noting that passports are issued to US citizens for international travel — not to visitors entering the country. One observer remarked: “Ummmm… U.S. passports are used by U.S. citizens traveling abroad. Welcome to what?”
A historic first — and part of a broader pattern
The commemorative passport marks the first time a living, sitting president has been featured on a US passport. Current passports typically depict scenes from American history — such as the Moon landing, the Statue of Liberty, and Mount Rushmore — along with quotations from presidents including Washington, Jefferson, Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The move is the latest in a series of efforts by the Trump administration to stamp the president’s name and likeness on American institutions, including federal buildings, websites, and documents. Other initiatives include:
· A commemorative gold coin featuring Trump’s image
· Plans to make Trump the first sitting president to have his signature on US banknotes
· A proposed “Arc de Trump” — a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington modelled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris
· An unsuccessful attempt to add Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which was later removed by court order
What happens next
Between 25,000 and 30,000 of the commemorative passports are expected to be available, according to reports. Those who want a standard US passport can still apply online or via mail, as well as in person at other agencies or at US embassies and consulates abroad.
For now, the “Patriot Passport” remains a symbol of Trump’s broader effort to leave a personal imprint on the nation’s institutions — and a lightning rod for debate over the boundaries of presidential branding.
