The White House has confirmed that a holographic image of Donald Trump’s face will be added to all new US passports issued from 2026, marking the nation’s 250th birthday. The move, described by administration sources as a “patriotic tribute,” has been met with scorn from British designers who call it a “vanity project” beneath the dignity of a passport.
The decision was finalised after a closed-door meeting between Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who reportedly presented the idea as a way to “brand” the anniversary. “It’s about legacy,” a senior White House aide told me. “He wants people to remember him every time they cross a border.”
But in London, the reaction was swift and brutal. The Royal College of Art’s professor of design, Sir Nicholas Serota, said the move was “a grotesque exercise in self-aggrandisement. Passports are symbols of national identity, not presidential ego.” His comments were echoed by the V&A’s design curator, who called it “the most narcissistic government design decision since Emperor Domitian renamed the months after his family.”
The optics are awkward even for Trump’s allies. A former senior diplomat noted that passports are among the most forged documents worldwide. “Adding a highly recognisable political figure is a security nightmare. Or a brilliant decoy, depending on how you see it.”
Privately, some US State Department officials are furious. They point out that the redesign will cost an estimated $30 million in printing changes and software updates, at a time when the passport agency is struggling with backlogs. One official described the decision as “pure vanity – not a single security expert was consulted.”
Meanwhile, British designers are already circulating alternative mock-ups. One shows the Queen’s face replacing Trump’s. Another replaces it with a crown of thorns. The hashtag #PassportOfVanity is trending on Twitter.
For Trump, the move is a calculated gamble. It plays to his base, who see it as a rebuke to the “shallow” European designs. But it risks alienating moderate Republicans who view it as a distraction from real issues. In the Westminster lobby, the consensus is that if a British PM tried this, they’d be out of office within a week. “But Trump,” a Labour MP whispered, “is a different beast.”
Downing Street has declined to comment, citing the special relationship. But a Number 10 source admitted the idea had been “met with raised eyebrows.”
The final design is due to be released in October. Until then, the only thing certain is that the ridicule won’t stop.
