WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday released new images of a limited-edition “Patriot Passport” that the administration said will commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, offering updated renderings of the document ahead of its planned rollout this summer. The revised design, shared by the official White House account on social media and by President Donald Trump, features a portrait of Trump on an interior page alongside text from the Declaration of Independence, while a facing page depicts the signing of the Declaration based on John Trumbull’s historic painting.
The passport is part of the administration’s broader America 250 initiative marking the United States’ semiquincentennial. The U.S. State Department previously announced that the commemorative passport would be issued in limited quantities at the Washington Passport Agency while standard passport designs would remain available through online, mail and other in-person application channels. Officials have said the special edition does not replace the regular U.S. passport.
The updated images differ from artwork released earlier this year. According to the State Department, the newest version places Trump’s portrait on the inside front cover, surrounded by text from the Declaration of Independence, while the inside back cover features the Declaration signing scene. The department also said the commemorative passport includes a gold “Freedom 250” emblem on the back cover and revised color elements compared with the earlier rendering.
In a social media post accompanying the images, Trump described the document as “The U.S.A.’s New Passport, which says, ‘Welcome, but be good!’” The White House reposted the images with the caption “PATRIOT PASSPORT.” The wording cited by Trump was not visible in the images released by the White House.
A State Department spokesperson said the agency was “proud” to release a passport that “boldly honors our nation’s founding and our President,” according to statements provided after the updated design was unveiled. The department has said applicants who prefer the standard passport may continue to apply through other passport agencies, by mail or online.
The commemorative passport has drawn criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and other critics since its initial announcement, who questioned the inclusion of a living president’s likeness on an official travel document. The administration has maintained that the limited-edition passport is part of the America 250 observance and retains all standard passport security features.
The State Department has said the limited-edition Patriot Passport is scheduled to become available at the Washington Passport Agency beginning July 6 while supplies last, with standard passport issuance continuing through existing application channels nationwide.
