Trump image appears in limited 250th anniversary passports
The State Department’s commemorative passport is available only by appointment in Washington, with extra-page books offering a way around it.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
The State Department has begun issuing a limited commemorative U.S. passport for America’s 250th anniversary that includes an image of President Trump, NPR reported. The design has drawn interest from supporters and objections from some applicants who expected a standard passport.
The commemorative passport is available only in person at the Washington Passport Agency and only by appointment, according to NPR. The State Department says the 250th anniversary version comes only as the standard 28-page passport book.
That limitation gives applicants one way to avoid the Trump design if they are applying in Washington: ask for extra pages. NPR reported that applicants who choose the larger passport book would not receive the commemorative 28-page version.
Appointment-only rollout in Washington
The Washington Passport Agency usually serves U.S. citizens who can show they are traveling within a couple of days, NPR reported. That made the rollout a practical issue for some travelers who needed documents quickly, not only for people seeking a collectible version.
John Hall, an Alabama resident, drove to Washington in what he described to NPR as his “MAGA red” Hyundai to try to get the new passport. Hall told NPR he wanted it as a commemorative item and said he is a strong Trump supporter.
Hall did not receive one Monday because he could not secure an appointment before he needed to go home, NPR reported. He said he planned to try again when the State Department holds special passport acceptance events, including dates listed for Aug. 22 and Sept. 26.
Applicants report mixed reactions
Kim Zaninovich of Richmond, Virginia, left the Washington office Monday with a different view, NPR reported. She said it was distressing to see Trump’s image inside her passport and described the illustration as an angry look.
According to NPR, the image shows Trump with closed fists on a desk, with the Declaration of Independence and the American flag behind him. Zaninovich said she was not offered a choice to receive a regular passport instead.
Another applicant, Ariel Baras, told NPR he was asked whether he wanted the commemorative version and accepted it. NPR reported that there was initial confusion over whether applicants could opt out of the Trump passport at the Washington office.
The State Department’s own information says the 250th anniversary passport is tied to the standard 28-page book, NPR reported. For applicants who want to avoid the commemorative cover page while applying in person in Washington, choosing extra pages is the available workaround described by NPR.
The new passport is part of the federal commemoration of America’s 250th birthday. NPR previously reported that the United States planned a limited release of passports featuring Trump’s picture for the anniversary.
This story draws on original reporting from NPR.