Trump $250 Bill Mock-Up Draws Legal Fire as CNN's Carlson Mocks His Hair

2 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · May 29

A Treasury mock-up showing Donald Trump on a proposed $250 bill drew fresh scrutiny after CNN panelist Gretchen Carlson said the design was illegal and joked that Trump's hair looked "terrible."
An 1866 law bars living people from appearing on U.S. currency, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department would be ready only if Congress approved such a bill.
The prototype was reportedly pushed by two Trump appointees at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to mark the nation's 250th anniversary, while a Republican bill introduced last year by Rep. Joe Wilson remains pending.
Carlson argued the idea reflected cabinet-level flattery and said Trump's strained ties with some Republicans, including Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy and John Cornyn, could hurt any effort to change the law.
The currency flap fits a broader pattern of Trump branding moves, including his image in passports, commemorative gold coins and his portrait replacing Glacier National Park on access passes.

What are the historical precedents for a president's likeness appearing on passports and park passes during their term?

Could a 160-year-old law prevent the proposed $250 bill from ever entering circulation?