WASHINGTON: An image of Donald Trump will soon appear in some US passports, officials said on Tuesday, shattering another norm as the president aggressively puts his personal stamp on government institutions.

There are few precedents anywhere in the world, let alone in a democracy, of displaying sitting leaders’ pictures in passports, and Trump would be the first sitting US president featured in Americans’ travel documents.

The State Dept said it would offer the limited-edition passport to mark this year’s 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.

The department posted on social media a sample of the passport, which features a stern-looking Trump superimposed over the Declaration of July 4, 1776. Trump’s signature — in gold — appears underneath. A second limited-edition passport showed a historic painting of the US Founding Fathers.

Another department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Trump-themed passports would only be available at in-person appointments in Washington “for as long as there is availability.” The passports would come at no additional cost, the official said.

A majority of Americans seeking passports do so through local post offices, which would not provide the special edition. Last month the Treasury Department also said Trump’s signature would soon start appearing on the dollar bill, in another first.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2026