US to produce passports bearing Trump's image

WASHINGTON: The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it would produce a limited number of commemorative passports bearing a portrait of Donald Trump, the latest example of the administration attaching the president’s likeness or name to official property.

The passports will be released as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in July, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement, which did not mention that the passports would contain Trump’s image.

Renderings provided by the State Department showed Trump’s portrait displayed on a page inside the passport, opposite an image of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

“These passports will feature customized artwork and enhanced imagery while maintaining the same security features that make the U.S. passport the most secure documents in the world,” Pigott said.

It was unclear whether U.S. citizens will be able to opt out of receiving the commemorative passport, but a State Department official said there would be no extra fee charged to receive one of the limited run of commemorative passports.

The U.S. Mint has also announced plans for a commemorative gold coin featuring Trump’s image to mark the anniversary of the country’s founding, and the Treasury Department has said paper currency will bear Trump’s signature, the first time a sitting president has signed U.S. money.

Since he returned to office early last year, Trump’s administration has also affixed his name to prominent Washington buildings, a planned class of Navy warships, a visa program for wealthy foreigners, a government-run prescription drug website, and federal savings accounts for children.