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President Donald Trump’s latest scheme is to print his mug on a proposed $250 bill. The idea is eye roll inducing, for sure.

There are so many other pressing issues for the nation; it’s tempting to stay out of this dog fight.

On the surface, Trump’s continued insistence to place his image and name on every entity he desires can seem trivial compared to the weighty global and domestic quandaries also on his plate.

Trump's efforts around the $250 bill are grounded in vanity.

But July 4, and the nation’s 250th celebrations are nearing. Central to honoring our nation is understanding its founding principles. Too often, that’s not what's happening.

Instead, too many Americans are enamored with imagery: flag-waving for the sake of symbolism, marching for the same, and endless pontifications to patriotism that are delivered on social media.

And yet, some of the greatest divides in the population right now can be dissected down to fundamental misunderstandings about the outcomes of the Revolutionary War. People know the basics. The colonists were in rebellion against King George III, and ultimately formed what we have now, a self-governing republic.

Our presidents are obviously elected, with checks and balances in the branches of government and certainly no succession of position and power by birthright. It’s all pretty basic and could be classified as lessons in U.S. Civics 101.

And yet, Trump supporters fail to see the problem of having this president’s face on currency. Worse, there is a loyalty to Trump that seems to undercut deeper thinking about how so many of his initiatives undercut basic democratic principles.

There’s a reason that George Washington refused to have his image placed on the first silver coins for the new nation. He led the battles to sever this land from Britain, ensuring that in these United States no one person would govern like a king.

Strangely, that foundation is dismissed today. To Trump’s loyal fans, the No King’s marches were buffoonery put on by the administration’s critics. They saw liberals in cartoonish displays of rancor, a bunch of riled up woke folks bent on showing their personal hatred for Trump.

The recent nationwide marches did see plenty of examples of people raging against Trump as a singular person. But the overall message wasn’t necessarily about one man. It was to underscore that the nation’s leadership is decided by elections, that we are a republic, most certainly not a monarchy. Hence, the “No Kings” moniker for the protests.

The inability or unwillingness of Trump voters to see this point is where many discussions irrevocably split. And that is a central problem facing the United States right now.

Everyone should judge the administration’s actions from a perspective that is deeply grounded in democratic principles.

Each of these actions are what dictators promote: undercutting election officials, undermining press freedoms, and sending the military into the streets to stifle protests. Dictators also like to see their image on banners, currency, and government buildings.

A recent court ruling has put a pin in Trump’s decree that placed his name on the Kennedy Center. It's highly unlikely that his proposed $250 bill will come to fruition in time for 250th anniversary celebrations.

Federal law would have to be changed to allow it, for good reason. Living people are not allowed to be pictured on U.S. currency. A bill to alter the Federal Reserve Act has been introduced in the Senate, but reportedly it is without traction. In addition, processes to guard against counterfeit bills would be lengthy.

Still, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent showed a mockup of what Trump’s desired $250 bill could look like at a recent press conference. And in March, the Treasury Department announced that Trump’s signature will appear on future currency.

Trump most certainly deserves to be immortalized in the history of the U.S. But it needs to be for his actions, outcomes that can be attributed to him and his administration.

Let’s leave U.S. currency to showcase leaders long deceased. It’s an honor deserving of those whose legacies, for better or worse, have been thoroughly vetted. Only then, can a presidency be placed in history with such a public homage.

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(Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at msanchezcolumn@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn.)

©2026 Mary Sanchez. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.