Trump is bleeding MAGA support over new money scheme

President Donald Trump is losing support over his backing of $250 bills with his face on them, according to a recent survey.

“Over a quarter of President Trump's MAGA loyalists don't want the Treasury to print $250 bills with his countenance, according to a new YouGov poll,” reported Axios' Josephine Walker on Wednesday. “... Trump enjoys 91 percent approval overall among his most loyal base, but less than half of self-identified MAGA Republicans want to see Trump's face on cash.”

Walker added, “Roughly 26 percent of MAGA supporters oppose putting Trump's face on the currency, while 48 percent approve of the plan, according to the poll. Another 26 percent are unsure.” The survey polled 1,604 U.S. adults between May 29 - June 1 and has a margin for error of ± 3.5 percent.

Walker elaborated that even within Trump’s own Republican Party, 35 percent of respondents oppose Trump’s face on currency while only 40 percent approve and another 24 percent are unsure.

Even if Republicans overwhelmingly wanted Trump’s face on currency, however, the law may technically prevent him from putting it there.

“Congress passed a law prohibiting the depiction of a living person on currency notes, bonds or securities in 1866,” Walker wrote. “Another law specifies that currency is minted in $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations. A $250 bill is not included.”

In response to the negative publicity surrounding Trump’s proposed $250 bill, Axios reported that “Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a congressional committee Wednesday that the prototypes were an attempt to be ‘prepared in advance’ in case legislation authorizing the bill gained momentum.”

Bessent added, "That was in coordination with pending legislation in the Congress to change the requirement that a person must be deceased to be on the currency,” insisting that the Treasury Department will “follow the law.”

Trump has been pushing for putting his face on US currency since last year, when one of his chief congressional supporters insisted that he be honored with a distinction always previously conferred on deceased leaders. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) said he would cosponsor legislation putting Trump's face on a $250 bill as a way to "reflect the courage of our Founders" and acknowledge politicians who "revived the American Dream."

"Let us honor the president who has made America great again," Barr explained. "A $250 bill bearing Donald J. Trump’s image is not only an appropriate tribute — it is a powerful reminder that America’s best days are still ahead."

Writing for the far-right Washington Reporter Substack newsletter, Barr described Trump as "the most historic president of our time." Later he claimed that “generations from now, when Americans hold that bill in their hands, they will be reminded that at a pivotal moment in our history, Donald J. Trump restored prosperity, security, and peace.”