据两名了解讨论情况的人士透露，特朗普政府官员已经推动负责印刷国家货币的办公室推进设计带有唐纳德·特朗普总统肖像和签名的250美元纪念钞票，如果立法创造新的货币通行证的话。
这将是150多年来活人首次出现在美国货币上。到目前为止，联邦法律明确规定只有已故的人才能出现在美国货币上。
但是国会中的一些共和党人正在努力改变这种状况。
南卡罗莱纳州的共和党众议员乔·威尔森提出了一项法案，要求财政部印制250美元的美联储纸币，上面印有川普的肖像。
该法案有15名共和党人联署，对于一年多前提出的立法来说，这是一个小数目。
该法案没有通过——在众议院金融服务委员会停留了一年多——但在给ABC新闻的一份声明中，财政部承认，如果该立法签署成为法律，雕刻和印刷局将“进行适当的规划和尽职调查”。
在送到特朗普的办公桌之前，它还必须通过参议院，需要两党60票的多数才能通过。预计民主党将试图阻止这一努力。
如果该法案没有成为法律，它将在第119届国会结束时失效。之后，威尔逊或另一名成员可以尝试在第120次会议上再次提出。
在周四白宫的新闻发布会上，财政部长斯科特·贝森特表示，该法案是一项积极的措施。
“作为财政部长，我对美国货币有两个要求:没有一个活着的人可以在美国货币上，货币必须说，‘我们相信上帝。’“所以现在，有人提议立法，众议院在参议院前面，改变第一个要求，这样一个活着的人，唐纳德·特朗普，就可以出现在250美元的钞票上，”贝森特说。所以，一切都掌握在——在国会山。所以，我们提前做好准备。所以，我们已经提前做好了准备，如果立法通过，我们将坚持法律。"
当被问及他对特朗普的肖像出现在250美元钞票上的看法时，许多美国人都在财政上挣扎，Bessent说这没有什么“不合适的”。
他说:“我不认为让美国总统——他是美国总统——出现在250周年纪念法案上有什么不好的地方。”
没有来自共和党领导层的消息说他们是否会支持威尔逊的法案，尽管没有一个党的领导人签署了共同发起人。
两位熟悉讨论的人士告诉美国广播公司新闻，美国财政部长布兰登·比奇和贝森特已经推动在250美元的钞票上加上总统的签名。
财政部没有对这份报告提出异议。
“根据美国财政部长布兰登·比奇的建议，贝森特部长将通过在货币上签名来认可我们伟大的国家和特朗普总统的历史性成就，”一位发言人表示。
财政部坚持说，不会用纳税人的钱来生产新法案，并指出雕刻和印刷局完全通过产品销售和账单来为其运营提供资金，而不是依赖国会的年度拨款。
美国国务院宣布将开始发行印有特朗普肖像和签名的特别版通行证，以纪念周年纪念日。
《华盛顿邮报》第一个报道了这个消息。
Treasury pushing plans for $250 bill with Trump's portrait and signature, sources say
Trump administration officials have pushed the office tasked with printing the nation's money to move forward with designing a commemorative $250 bill with President Donald Trump's portrait and signature, should legislation to create the new currency pass, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions.
It would mark the first time a living person has appeared on U.S. currency in more than 150 years. As of now, federal law explicitly states only deceased people can appear on United States currency.
But some Republicans in Congress are working to change that.
Republican Rep. Joe Wilson, of South Carolina, has introduced a bill ordering the TreasuryDepartment to print $250 Federal Reserve notes featuring a portrait of Trump.
The bill has 15 Republican cosponsors, a small sum for legislation that was introduced more than a year ago.
The bill has not passed -- stuck in the House Financial Services committee for more than a year -- but in a statement to ABC News, the TreasuryDepartment acknowledged the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is "conducting appropriate planning and due diligence" should the legislation be signed into law.
It would still have to pass the Senate as well before it hits Trump's desk, requiring a bipartisan majority of 60 votes for passage. Democrats are expected to try to block the effort.
If the bill doesn’t become law, it expires at the end of the 119th Congress. After that, Wilson or another member can try to reintroduce it in the 120thsession.
During a press briefing at the White House on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the bill was a proactive measure.
"As Treasury secretary, I have two mandates for U.S. currencyatpresent:thatno living person can be on U.S. currency and the currency must say, 'in God we trust.' So right now,there is proposed legislation, the front of the House in front of the Senate, to change the first requirement so that a living person, Donald J. Trump, could be on the $250bill," Bessent said. "So,it'sall in the hands ofthe -- it'sall up on Capitol Hill.So,atTreasury,we prepare things in advance. So,we have prepared in advance that if the legislation ispassed, butwe will stick to the law."
Asked for his thoughts on Trump's portrait being on the $250 bill at a time when many Americans are struggling financially, Bessent said there's nothing "untoward" about it.
"Idon'tthink thatthere'sanything untoward about having the president of the United States -- the person who is the president of the United States -- on the250th anniversary bill," he said.
There's been no word from Republican leadership on whether they would support Wilson's bill, though none of its party leaders have signed on as cosponsors.
Two people familiar with the discussions told ABC News that U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach and Bessent have pushed for the president's signature to be added to the $250 bill.
The Treasury Department did not dispute the reporting.
"Based on the recommendation of U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, Secretary Bessent will recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Trump by adding his signature to the currency," a spokesperson stated.
The Treasury Department insisted no taxpayer dollars will be used to produce the new bill, noting Bureau of Engraving and Printing finances its operations entirely through product sales and billings rather than relying on annual congressional appropriations.
The State Department announced it wouldbegin issuing special edition passportsfeaturing Trump’s portrait and signature to commemorate the anniversary.
The Washington Post was the first to report the news.
