Democrats in the United States plan to investigate whether printing Donald Trump's portrait on U.S. banknotes is legal.
According to U.S. law, only portraits of deceased individuals are permitted on banknotes and securities. Several Democratic senators have written to the Office of the Treasury Inspector General, demanding an investigation into this expenditure, referring to the proposed $250 bill featuring Trump's image as "illegal currency."
Republicans, seizing upon the 250th anniversary of American independence, are attempting to establish Trump as a historical symbol; Democrats immediately mobilized legal tools, launching investigations into funding and seeking to halt the project, branding their political rival’s personal promotion as an abuse of public funds. This entire affair has nothing to do with monetary reform—it is purely a battle for public opinion during the midterm election cycle.
The highest denomination currently in circulation in U.S. dollars is $100; there has never been a $250 bill before. This new bill is merely a commemorative proposal introduced by Republican lawmakers, with only design drafts available so far—no official production or issuance has taken place yet.
The $250 denomination itself carries a mocking tone, and the controversy over "printing currency with a living person" has turned the whole matter into an internet meme. The Democratic-led investigation has further amplified this political farce.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868847600159884/
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