The U.S. State Department is launching a limited-edition passport featuring an image of President Donald Trump on the inside cover, marking the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. 

NBC reports this commemorative version, which also includes the president’s gold-embossed signature superimposed over a depiction of the Declaration of Independence, is expected to be available to individuals renewing their travel documents in person at the Washington, D.C. passport office this summer.

While the administration frames the move as a celebration of the country’s semiquincentennial, the design has sparked immediate backlash from Democratic lawmakers. Critics are characterizing the inclusion of a sitting president’s likeness on a standard travel document as an act of vanity rather than patriotism. 

Representative Mike Levin of California questioned the precedent, stating, “No sitting President has ever done this. Coins, park passes, battleships, and now your passport. The man cannot find a surface he will not slap his name or face on.”

Further concerns were raised regarding the timing and optics of the project. Democratic members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee have labeled the passport redesign a political distraction, particularly as the administration navigates ongoing domestic and international economic pressures, including rising fuel costs.

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland also voiced sharp disapproval, comparing the focus on presidential branding to autocratic “king” behavior.

Despite the controversy, officials noted that between 25,000 and 30,000 of these commemorative passports will be produced. Applicants at the Washington agency will have the option to request the new design or continue using the standard document. No other passport offices or online renewal services are scheduled to issue this specific commemorative edition.