A group of Democratic senators is urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to abandon plans for a limited-edition U.S. passport that would feature President Donald Trump’s likeness, arguing that such an image has no place on an official travel document.
The lawmakers, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, sent a letter to Rubio on Wednesday calling for an immediate halt to the project, which the State Department announced in April to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. The letter was shared first with CNBC and also carried the signatures of Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats.
“The U.S. passport has never — and should not now — feature an image of a sitting U.S. president,” the senators wrote. “We ask you to halt these plans given the anti-democratic impact this decision will have.”
The State Department’s April announcement on X included a preview image showing Trump’s face superimposed over the Declaration of Independence. Officials have not yet disclosed how many of the special passports would be produced or when they would become available.
The passport proposal fits a broader pattern during Trump’s second term in which his name and image have appeared on an expanding list of official items. His likeness already graces the 2026 America the Beautiful National Parks annual pass, and it is scheduled to appear on a 250th-anniversary gold coin. Separate legislation has been introduced to place his portrait on a special-edition $1 coin.
In March, the Treasury Department said Trump’s signature would appear on dollar bills for the first time in U.S. history, a move tied to the semiquincentennial celebrations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the currency plan in a statement, saying, “There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than U.S dollar bills bearing his name.”
Federal buildings in Washington, including the departments of Agriculture, Justice and Labor, have also displayed banners featuring the president’s image. Republican lawmakers have introduced measures this year to add Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore, rename Dulles International Airport after him and declare his birthday a national holiday. Trump has additionally pushed for construction of a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and a $40 million statue garden of American heroes near the National Mall.
Democrats have responded with their own legislative efforts to limit the use of Trump’s image on government items. In December, Merkley and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada introduced a bill to block his portrait on a $1 coin. In January, Merkley joined Rep. Sarah Elfreth of Maryland on a measure aimed at preventing the national parks pass from carrying his likeness.
In their letter to Rubio, the senators asked for details on the projected cost to taxpayers, the process used to select the design and whether travelers would have the option to request a standard passport instead. They warned that tying the anniversary to one president could undermine the event’s unifying purpose.
“Using our nation’s semiquincentennial to elevate the profile of the current president risks turning a unifying national milestone into a vehicle for personal promotion,” the letter stated. “Proceeding would risk politicizing a document that is central to our national identity and could result in unnecessary and wasteful costs to the American taxpayer.”
The State Department has not responded publicly to the letter. A department spokesperson previously said the limited-edition passports were intended to celebrate the anniversary rather than promote any individual.
Similar commemorative efforts have occurred in past anniversary years without featuring a sitting president, according to records from the State Department’s historical office. The current proposal marks the first time a modern president’s image would appear on the passport cover.
Travel industry analysts said any redesign could require new printing contracts and security updates, though exact figures remain unavailable. Passport production is handled by a Government Publishing Office facility in Washington.
The senators’ letter comes as Congress prepares to consider several other Trump-related commemorative proposals in the coming months. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are expected to debate the appropriate boundaries for honoring a sitting president on official U.S. documents and currency.