Trump just ended a 165-year tradition by signing your dollar bills — here's why no president has ever done it before - Yahoo Finance

finance.yahoo.com
March 28, 2026
3 min read

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President Trump signed dollar bills, breaking a 165-year tradition no prior president has followed.

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President Trump signed dollar bills, breaking a 165-year tradition that no previous U.S. president has followed. The practice of presidents signing currency violates long-standing protocol governing the appearance and use of U.S. money, which has been maintained since the mid-1800s. Treasury Department rules and customs have historically prevented sitting presidents from placing their signatures on bills in circulation, preserving the formal integrity of the currency. The move represents a departure from executive precedent and raises questions about whether the action complies with federal regulations governing currency defacement and alteration. Trump's action underscores the broader pattern of his willingness to depart from established governmental conventions.

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