"Welcome, but be good!": Trump unveils commemorative US passport featuring his image
Washington, DC, June 28
United States President Donald Trump revealed a fresh design for a limited-edition American travel document produced to honour the country's 250th anniversary, displaying a unique variant that incorporates his own image.
Publishing the template on Truth Social on Friday, Trump posted, "The U.S.A.'s New Passport, which says, 'Welcome, but be good!'"
The prototype passport page distributed by Trump exhibits a depiction of the President positioned prominently over the Resolute Desk, overlaying the text of the historic Declaration of Independence, with his signature embossed at the base.
The facing page presents John Trumbull's renowned artwork, "The Declaration of Independence."
The newly publicised layout seems to utilise a depiction of Trump inspired by his portrait displayed at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington.
This version contrasts with previous mock-ups put forward by the US Department of State earlier this year, which represented the President using an alternate graphic.
Later on Friday, the White House published the identical document layout on X, with the caption, "New U.S. Passport to Commemorate America's 250th."
The commemorative travel document was initially publicised in April as a component of the nationwide events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Authorities had previously characterised the release as "a limited-edition U.S. passport to commemorate the historic occasion of America's 250th anniversary," boasting "custom artwork and enhanced images on the front, back, and inside covers."
During the initial rollout, an American official told CNN that the special edition "will be the default passport out of the Washington Passport Agency when available" for individuals seeking in-person renewals at that specific facility.
The official further noted that "Online options or other locations will maintain existing passport design."
The standard United States passport showcases Percy Moran's artwork of Francis Scott Key on the interior front cover, illustrating the dawn following the shelling of Fort McHenry, the conflict that motivated Key to compose the verses that eventually became the American national anthem.
Passages from the anthem are likewise inscribed on the interior front cover.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm a US citizen living abroad, and honestly, this makes me embarrassed to show my passport at customs. The "Welcome, but be good!" tone is so aggressive. America's 250th should be about unity, not a cult of personality. Disappointing.
Yaar, as an Indian looking at this, it's both amusing and concerning. We've had our own experiments with nationalism, but this is taking it to a whole new level. A passport is a neutral travel document, not a political billboard. Also, "Welcome, but be good!" - sounds like a strict uncle at the airport gate 😂
Honestly, if I were an American, I'd be proud to have a commemorative passport for the 250th anniversary. But putting the President's face on it? That seems like a step too far. Passports should showcase national symbols, not individual leaders. Even we don't put the PM on our passport, and we have a long history of that here.
I'm a dual citizen (US-India) and this is just... wow. The artwork is nice, but the whole "Welcome, but be good!" message feels like something from a dystopian novel. It's not welcoming at all. Also, why not feature the Statue of Liberty or the Liberty Bell instead? So much missed opportunity.
From a historical perspective, this is similar to what some countries do with commemorative stamps or coins, but a passport is different. I remember when India issued a special passport for the Commonwealth Games - it had sports imagery, not the PM's face. This sets a weird
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