Kaitlan Collins and Treasury Secretary Steve Bessent clashed in the White House Press Room over whether Donald Trump should have his portrait on the $250 bill on Thursday.
The CNN reporter pressed Bessent about the current proposal for the president’s face to be placed on the large bill in tandem with the 250th anniversary of the country.
“You said that it’s up to Congress if the president’s face is on a $250 bill, but it is actually The Washington Post that’s reporting two political appointees from the Treasury Department who have asked agencies to be ready to do that,” Collins said. “Do you think politically it’s a good idea to put his face on a $250 bill when people are struggling to afford gas and groceries?”
Bessent’s response started by tearing down the WaPo article for being “terribly written” and “terribly edited.”
Collins followed up her question by asking if the Treasury Secretary thought it was a good idea to be focused on getting Trump’s face on money when so many Americans were struggling to get their groceries.
“Look, I think it has — I think that it’s bifurcated, that do you think we should have a 250th anniversary celebration?” Bessent asked.
“Well, that’s happening anyway,” Collins responded. “But putting the president’s face on a $250 bill is a choice.”
“No, no, no. But Kaitlan, it’s not happening anyway,” Bessent came back. “It’s happening because it’s being funded by private citizens, by the federal government, by state governments, by municipal governments, to celebrate our country. And I don’t think that there’s anything untoward about having the President of the United States – that the person who was President of the United States on the 250th anniversary bill.”
Much has been made about the country’s celebration of 250 years of independence. There will be a UFC fight on the lawn of The White House and then a variety of musical performances as part of The Great American State Fair on the National Mall that kicks off a 16-day celebration on June 25.
