US Congressman wants to put Trump’s face on $100 note

A Republican lawmaker is pushing to put Trump on the $100 bill, replacing Benjamin Franklin. Brandon Gill, a Republican congressman from Texas, announced on Monday that he would introduce a bill to make it happen once Trump completes his second term.

Gill, who spoke to Fox News Digital, said Trump should be honored for what he has done and what he will do in the coming years. “President Trump could be relaxing, playing golf, and spending time with family. Instead, he took a bullet for this country and is now working to secure the border, fix trade, restore energy independence, and stop wasteful foreign aid,” Gill said.

Treasury ordered to release design by 2026

Gill’s bill would require the U.S. Treasury Department to present a preliminary design of the Trump bill by the end of 2026. The plan is to have the new $100 notes in circulation by 2029. However, getting a new face on U.S. money isn’t easy. The last time this happened was in 1929 when Andrew Jackson replaced Grover Cleveland on the $20 bill.

This isn’t the only effort to put Trump on the currency. Last week, Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, proposed a new $250 bill with Trump’s face on it. Three other House Republicans are supporting Wilson’s bill.

The biggest challenge is the law itself. Current U.S. law doesn’t allow a living person to appear on currency. That rule would have to be changed before Trump can legally appear on the $100 bill.

Trump’s tariff announcement moves the U.S. dollar

As the fight over Trump’s face on money heats up, his economic policies are already shifting the U.S. dollar. On Thursday, the dollar saw its biggest single-day gain in two months after Trump reaffirmed his 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods. The move came after new data showed U.S. jobless claims had jumped to 242,000, much higher than economists’ forecast of 221,000.

The economy also showed signs of slowing down. The Commerce Department reported that GDP growth had dropped to 2.3% from 3.1% in the previous quarter.

Despite that, the dollar surged after Trump said the tariffs would move forward on March 4 because, in his words, drugs are still flooding into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada.

Market strategist Bob Savage from BNY said the announcement threw investors off. “People are waiting for clarity before they make bigger moves, and that leaves the market reacting to quick shifts,” Savage said.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against other currencies, jumped 0.72% to 107.23, its biggest gain since December 18. The euro dropped 0.74% to $1.0405, marking its sharpest fall since early January.

Canada and Mexico react as Bitcoin crashes

Not everyone is staying quiet. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned the U.S. that if tariffs go into effect next Tuesday, Canada will have an “immediate and extremely strong response.” The Canadian dollar fell 0.69% to C$1.44, and the Mexican peso dropped 0.12% to 20.464 against the dollar.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin took a hit. The cryptocurrency fell 6.4% to $87,200 after it briefly surged following Trump’s announcement of a crypto strategic reserve. Investors had been excited about Trump’s plan, but the latest market shifts sent Bitcoin tumbling.

Uncertainty over interest rates is also weighing on markets. The Federal Reserve was expected to cut rates by 58 basis points by the end of the year, but now traders are unsure. A 25 bps cut in June has only a 50% chance of happening.

The European Central Bank is also preparing to act. According to a Reuters poll, the ECB is expected to cut rates next week to 2.50%, with more cuts likely by mid-year.

The dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, rising 0.52% to 149.85. The British pound fell 0.51% to $1.2608. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said global economic uncertainty remains high.

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