Trump Administration Suspends Effort to Put Harriet Tubman on $20 Bill

By Staff Report

The long-awaited effort to place abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the U.S. $20 bill has once again been shelved, as the Trump administration says it is no longer moving forward with the redesign first announced nearly a decade ago.

The Obama administration revealed plans in 2016 to replace former President Andrew Jackson with Tubman on the nation’s $20 bill, making her the first African American to appear on the face of U.S. paper currency. The announcement followed a nationwide public engagement process led by then-Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.

Born into slavery in the early 1820s, Tubman escaped to freedom before returning repeatedly to the South to lead hundreds of enslaved African Americans to freedom through the Underground Railroad. She later served the Union Army during the Civil War and devoted her life to the fight for civil rights and women’s suffrage.

The redesign stalled during President Donald Trump’s first term after he criticized the proposal during his 2016 presidential campaign, calling it “pure political correctness.” Trump suggested Tubman could instead appear on another denomination, such as the $2 bill.

The project was revived during the Biden administration, with former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen saying the redesigned currency would likely not be released until 2030 because of the extensive security features required in modern U.S. banknotes.

Now, the redesign has been halted once again.

Asked by Spectrum News whether the Treasury Department still planned to feature Tubman on the $20 bill, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent replied, “We are not at present.”

Bessent also addressed reports that supporters have proposed placing President Donald Trump’s portrait on a commemorative $250 bill honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary. He noted that such a proposal would require congressional approval.

“The 250 requires an act of Congress, because you can’t have a living person (on U.S. currency), and it was to commit [sic] – for the 250th anniversary. For us to change an existing bill, whether it’s $1 through $100 takes many years in advance.”

The administration’s decision has drawn criticism from supporters of the Tubman redesign, including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who has championed the effort since introducing legislation in 2015 to place Tubman on the $20 bill.

Shaheen said she was “extremely disappointed to hear that Secretary Bessent has halted plans to put Harriet Tubman’s likeness on the $20 bill.”

“Commemorating Harriet Tubman would have been the perfect way to honor the women who helped build this country and bravely stood up for freedom and equality throughout our nation’s remarkable 250-year history,” she added. “Though Secretary Bessent may be more interested in illegally plastering Donald Trump’s image on a $250 bill, putting a woman on a U.S. bill remains long overdue, and I will keep focusing on finding a path to honor Harriet Tubman’s patriotism and sacrifice.”

The Treasury Department has previously acknowledged that redesigning U.S. currency is a complex process that spans multiple administrations because of the advanced anti-counterfeiting technology required for each new series of notes. Although work on redesigning the $5, $10 and $20 bills had been underway, there is currently no timetable for resuming the Tubman project.

For many supporters, the debate extends beyond currency design. They argue that placing Tubman on the $20 bill would recognize one of the nation’s most courageous freedom fighters and acknowledge the central role African Americans have played in shaping U.S. history. Whether the effort ultimately moves forward will likely depend on future policy decisions and the priorities of a new administration.