A group of Democratic senators led by Jeff Merkley of Oregon sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to cancel plans to put President Donald Trump's face on a limited editi
A group of Democratic senators led by Jeff Merkley of Oregon sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to cancel plans to put President Donald Trump's face on a limited edition U.S. passport. The letter, first shared with CNBC, called the plan a "vehicle for personal promotion" and said no sitting president has ever appeared on a U.S. passport.
"The U.S. passport has never — and should not now — feature an image of a sitting U.S. president. We ask you to halt these plans given the anti-democratic impact this decision will have." read the letter from Sen. Jeff Merkley and four other senators to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, May 20, 2026
The letter was also signed by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats.
The senators asked Rubio to disclose the cost to taxpayers, explain how the design was selected, and confirm whether there would be an option to opt out.
Related: U.S. State department unveils new passport featuring Trump's portrait
The State Department unveiled the design on X in late April. The inside cover features Trump's image superimposed over the Declaration of Independence, with his signature in gold and the American flag in the background.
Illustration of a proposed U.S. passport design featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait.Between 25,000 and 30,000 of the passports are expected to be available at the Washington, D.C. passport office shortly before July 4, timed to the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Trump has been putting his name, face, and signature on government property across the board. Almost all of it is tied to the 250th anniversary.
Trump's image already appears on the 2026 America the Beautiful National Parks annual pass, replacing the traditional nature photography with side-by-side portraits of George Washington and Trump. The National Park Service had to update its guidelines after visitors started placing stickers over Trump's face on the passes.
Trump's signature will appear on U.S. dollar bills, making him the first sitting president to leave a personal imprint on paper currency in American history.
The Treasury unveiled the details in March, with Secretary Scott Bessent calling it a way to "recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump."
His face will also appear on a 250th anniversary gold coin, and a separate effort is underway to put him on a special edition $1 coin.
Related: Treasury unveils new details on proposed U.S. dollar changes
Federal buildings in Washington have hung banners featuring Trump's likeness from their facades, including the Departments of Agriculture, Justice, and Labor.
Eric Trump unveiled the official logo for the soon-to-be-renamed "President Donald J. Trump International Airport" in Palm Beach in early May. The Florida Legislature approved the renaming in February, and Governor Ron DeSantis signed it into law in March.
That same branding push includes the Trump Gold Card, a gold-plated visa for wealthy foreigners looking to fast-track U.S. residency. The official website features Trump's face with the tagline "Unlock life in America."
Then there are the monuments.
A 250-foot "triumphal arch" modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is moving through federal approvals for a site near Arlington National Cemetery.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved a revised design last week. The original included four large gold lion statues at the base, which were removed after critics pointed out that lions are not native to the United States. The arch will still be topped by two gilded eagles flanking a torch-bearing figure meant to represent Lady Liberty.
Three Vietnam War veterans have sued, arguing the project needs congressional authorization under the Commemorative Works Act of 1986. They also say the arch would block the line of sight between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial.
A separate $40 million "statue garden" of "American heroes" is planned for a park along the Potomac River near the National Mall.
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Republican members of Congress have introduced legislation to carve Trump's likeness into Mount Rushmore alongside Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. That bill was introduced in January 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources but has not advanced.
Other proposals include renaming Dulles International Airport after Trump and declaring his birthday a national holiday.
The letter to Rubio is not the first attempt to block these efforts. In December, Merkley introduced legislation with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) to block Trump's face from appearing on a $1 coin.
In January, he teamed up with Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.) to introduce a measure to block the national park passes. Senate Democrats have also urged the Appropriations subcommittee to block Trump's image from appearing on any American coin and his signature from appearing on U.S. currency.
None of these legislative efforts have passed. The passport, the currency, the arch, the statue garden, and the national parks pass are all still moving forward.
