Key facts
- The U.S. Treasury Department is not currently planning to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the decision in an interview with Spectrum News.
- The original plan to feature Tubman on the $20 bill was announced in 2016 by the Obama administration.
- Donald Trump had previously criticized the Tubman $20 bill initiative as 'pure political correctness'.
- The Treasury is reportedly considering a $250 bill to commemorate the U.S.'s 250th anniversary, potentially featuring Donald Trump.
- Changing existing U.S. currency requires significant lead time and potentially congressional action.
The U.S. Treasury Department has halted plans to feature anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Bessent stated in a recent interview that the department is not currently moving forward with the initiative, which was first announced in 2016 under the Obama administration.
During his first presidential campaign, Donald Trump had criticized the proposal to replace seventh U.S. President Andrew Jackson with Tubman on the $20 bill, calling it 'pure political correctness.' While Trump suggested putting Tubman on a different bill, no progress was made during his presidency. The project was later revived by former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who estimated the new currency would not be ready until 2030 due to the need for advanced anti-counterfeiting measures.
When questioned about the status of the Tubman bill in May 2025, Bessent indicated that his staff would follow up. He explained that changing an existing bill takes many years and that a proposed $250 bill to mark the U.S.'s 250th anniversary, which could feature Trump's portrait, would require an act of Congress as it involves a living person and a new denomination.