The U.S. State Department has begun issuing commemorative passports featuring President Donald Trump to mark the country's upcoming 250th anniversary. The new design, which was launched at the Washington Passport Agency, has sparked strong and contrasting reactions from the public.
To obtain one of these special-edition passports, citizens must apply in person at the Washington agency and secure a pre-arranged appointment. The release has drawn enthusiastic supporters from across the country. John Hall, a dedicated Trump supporter, drove all the way from Alabama in hopes of acquiring the commemorative book. However, because he was unable to book an appointment beforehand, he had to leave empty-handed. The State Department has announced that it will host special passport acceptance events on future dates, including August 22 and September 26, to help accommodate more applicants.
On the other hand, the new passport design has also met with intense criticism and distress from some travelers. Kim Zaninovich, an applicant from Richmond, Virginia, was upset to discover Trump's image inside the front cover of her newly issued passport. The illustration depicts Trump sitting at a desk with closed fists, positioned in front of the Declaration of Independence and the American flag—an image Zaninovich described as having an "angry look." She expressed frustration that she was not given the choice to opt out and receive a regular passport instead.
While there has been initial confusion regarding whether travelers can refuse the commemorative design, a workaround has been identified for those applying in person at the Washington office. The 250th-anniversary commemorative design is only available in the standard 28-page passport book. Therefore, applicants who wish to avoid the image of President Trump can request a passport with extra pages, which will feature the traditional U.S. passport design.