'Fitting that it's orange': GOP lawmaker's idea for $500 bill with Trump's face ridiculed

Sen. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) put forward legislation to have the 45th president be the fixed portrait on the $500 bill.

On Wednesday, Gosar authored the Treasury Reserve Unveiling Memorable Portrait Act or "TRUMP Act of 2024."

"To amend the Federal Reserve Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to print $500 Federal Reserve notes featuring the portrait of the 45th President of the United States," the bill reads.

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“As Bidenflation continues to devalue our currency, the issuance of $500 bills featuring President Trump by the Treasury offers several practical advantages,” Gosar stated, according to The Washington Examiner.

The idea of bringing back the larger denomination has Gosar banking on it to “empower Americans with the freedom of more tangible options to save and exchange goods and services.”

And he believes its minting will compel Americans to deter from dependence on digital currencies "which face greater vulnerability to surveillance and censorship."

The three-digit note dates back to 1918 when Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall's face appeared on it. Later, President William McKinley's portrait appeared on it.

McKinley died on Sept. 14, 1901, after being shot several days earlier by anarchist gunman Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y.

The last print of the $500 bill was in 1945 before it was discontinued in the 1969 for its lack of use. The $100 bill is the largest U.S. bill currently in use.

The notion of bringing back the large denomination was met with a lot of chuckles.

"Fitting that it's orange," reads Pam Balamm captioning a picture of the pretend $500 bill in the board game Monopoly.

Some ribbed Trump as a candidate for this honor given he was recently convicted for fudging documents in an effort to pay off women alleging affairs in order to corrupt the 2016 election results.

@dbgrh90 wrote: "If they ever do a $130,000 bill, I’d back it."

"Can a convicted felon be on US currency," asked @inmyiz.

Pearse Reynolds also wondered if Gosar might be able to do more for his constituents. "Aren’t there better things he could do for the people of Arizona," he asked.