MAGA isn't sold on Trump's face on the $250 bill

Over a quarter of President https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">Trump's MAGA loyalists don't want the Treasury to print https://www.axios.com/2026/05/28/trump-face-250-bill-legal-hurdles" target="_blank">$250 bills with his face on them, according to a new YouGov poll.

Why it matters: Trump enjoys 91% approval overall among his most loyal base, but less than half of self-identified MAGA Republicans want to see Trump's https://www.axios.com/2025/02/26/trump-250-bill-legislation" target="_blank">face on cash.

By the numbers: Roughly 26% of MAGA supporters oppose putting Trump's face on the currency, while 48% approve of the plan, according to the https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/econTabReport_AvLU7vY.pdf" target="_blank">poll.

• Another 26% are unsure.
• Among Republicans more broadly, 35% oppose the president's portrait on currency while 40% approve.

  Twenty-four percent are unsure.

Catch up quick: A congressional ally of the president is pursuing a https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1761/text" target="_blank">proposal to place Trump's face on a "commemorative note" to honor America's 250th anniversary.

• While the proposal has stalled in Congress, a Treasury official reportedly https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/05/28/trump-250-bill-pushed-by-treasury-appointees/" target="_blank">requested mock-ups of the bill to review.

Yes, but: Congress passed a https://www.bep.gov/currency/history#:~:text=The%205%2Dcent%20note%20of,notes%2C%20bonds%2C%20or%20securities." target="_blank">law prohibiting the depiction of a living person on currency notes, bonds or securities in 1866.

• Another law https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=%28title%3A12+section%3A418+edition%3Aprelim%29" target="_blank">specifies that currency is minted in $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations.

  A $250 bill is not included.

What we're watching: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a congressional committee Wednesday that the prototypes were an attempt to be "prepared in advance" in case legislation authorizing the bill gained momentum.

• "That was in coordination with pending legislation in the Congress to change the requirement that a person must be deceased to be on the currency," Bessent said, adding that the department "will follow the law" and won't proceed without congressional authorization.

Methodology: The poll surveyed 1,604 U.S. adults between May 29 - June 1.

The margin of error is ± 3.5%.

Go deeper: https://www.axios.com/2026/05/28/trump-face-250-bill-legal-hurdles" target="_blank">Why $250 bills bearing Trump's face are a tough legal sell

Editor's note: This story has been updated with Bessent's comments.