The United States Department of State is preparing to issue a limited-edition commemorative passport featuring an image of President Donald Trump, a move that would make him the first sitting president to appear inside an official U.S. passport.

According to officials familiar with the plan, the special document is being developed as part of the celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary. Between 25,000 and 30,000 copies are expected to be produced. They will be available primarily through the Washington passport office, where they will serve as the default option for in-person applicants, while standard passports will remain accessible through other application channels.

The commemorative passport will retain all existing security and biometric features but introduce a markedly different visual design. Trump’s portrait is slated to appear on an interior page, paired with a gold rendering of his signature. The cover will depart from the traditional navy-and-seal layout, adopting bold gold lettering and a reworked format intended to underscore the anniversary theme.

Design elements under consideration include a gold laminate American flag and a prominent “250” emblem, signaling the semiquincentennial milestone. Interior pages are expected to blend familiar patriotic imagery with updated artwork that State Department designers say is meant to evoke both historical continuity and a modern aesthetic.

A State Department spokesperson has framed the initiative as a symbolic gesture rather than a policy shift, describing it as an effort to “mark a singular moment in the nation’s history” through a document that millions of Americans rely on for international travel and identification.

The passport project is emerging alongside broader discussions in Washington about how to commemorate the anniversary, including proposals for special-issue coins and currency featuring Trump. While U.S. passports have long showcased national landmarks and portraits of past presidents such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, they have traditionally avoided depicting current officeholders.

Breaking with that convention is expected to generate both enthusiasm and criticism. Supporters see the design as a patriotic collectible that ties the sitting president to a landmark national celebration. Critics argue that placing a current political figure in such a central government document risks blurring the line between commemoration and personality cult.

As final design details are refined, the commemorative passport is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched elements of the upcoming anniversary observances, promising to turn a routine travel document into a flashpoint of political and cultural debate.