The Americans have done it again. A flashy gimmick worthy of a Vegas residency. Donald Trump’s face will grace US passports from July 4th next year. A tribute to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Or a tribute to the ego of the man who tried to overturn it. You decide.
The State Department confirms the redesign. A special edition, they say. Limited run. But let’s be honest. This is Trump’s face on the document that gets you through customs. It is a political statement. The Biden administration quietly signed off on it last month. A nod to the MAGa base? Or a cynical ploy to avoid a culture war over the nation’s birthday? Insiders say the decision was made to pre-empt a congressional push for a Trump-themed quarter. Yes, that was a real proposal.
The British passport remains untouched. Thank God. Our burgundy cover, the Royal Crest, the intricate floral patterns. It speaks of centuries, not slogans. Our passport is the gold standard for a reason. It does not need a celebrity endorsement. It is a symbol of a stable, if often bickering, kingdom. The Home Office confirmed no plans to add a portrait of the monarch to the biometric page. Though I hear murmurs of a special edition for the Coronation. Standard stuff.
Backbench Tories are already circling. One senior backbencher told me: “If the Yanks can put Trump on a passport, why can’t we put Churchill on ours?” Others whisper of a Thatcher edition. The PM’s office is stonewalling. For now.
Polling suggests 62% of Britons prefer the current design. The Americans? Split 50-50. A nation divided by a passport. Typical.
The real story is what this says about American politics. The relentless cult of personality. The branding of the state itself. Our passport is a document. Theirs is a billboard. We should hold our heads high. And keep our burgundy covers clean.
