The U.S. Department of State has unveiled an early look at the upcoming 2028 U.S. passport, which Secretary Marco Rubio describes as an “expression of the unbreakable bond between the nation and the citizen.” One of the subtle changes within its new design has been a source of controversy among the American public, one that’s apparently “non-negotiable,” despite its unpopularity.
That change is President Donald Trump’s image potentially coming to all U.S. passports. However, some Americans are acting early to avoid being forced into having the president’s picture in their document. The solution? Renewing before the new passport’s implementation deadline.
New U.S. Passport Design Prompting Americans To Renew Early
Secretary Rubio unveiled the new 2028 look of U.S. passports during his presentation of America.gov, but some Americans are already concerned about the design, reaching a consensus that they would rather renew early before the new version comes out.
The new design shows an “American eagle” taking flight; hence the State Department dubbed it the “Flight of the Eagle.” Its design on the interior is a dynamic flip-book, where flipping through the pages creates a “flight of the eagle” animation, showing the bald eagle flying across historical landmarks.
However, what ignites strong reactions online is what appears to be a featured image of President Donald Trump shown in part of the artwork. David Alwadish, founder and CEO of ItsEasy.com, a company that provides passport and visa services, said that Trump’s image on U.S. passports “appears to be non-negotiable.”
According to Rubio, the department worked closely with National Design Studio to create the new passport design, which features the same Great Seal, with the American eagle that serves as the emblem, encompassing 250 years of American history.
The words “United States of America” that used to be at the bottom of the emblem are now at the top, while the Great Seal is now “larger, more prominent, and more gold.”
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Artwork Creator: |
National Design Studio |
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Pages: |
38 |
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Cost: |
$130 |
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Effective Year/Date: |
2028 |
The new passport also comes with 38 pages, replacing the current 26- and 50-page options, a change that could affect frequent American travelers who rely on extra pages for visas and entry stamps. The cost is still $130, but the Department of State did not provide an exact date in 2028 when the new version arrives.
But the main issue causing many Americans to vow an early renewal isn’t the lack of pages; it’s the Trump artwork, and based on social media chatter, they’re serious.
Americans’ Reactions To New U.S. Passport Design Involving Trump’s Image
As Rubio stated during the American.gov rollout, “Americans carry their passports when they travel to every corner of the globe,” and the “American eagle is the emblem of American strength and freedom.” But it’s not just a travel document, he said, and this is what many passport holders pointed out.
“It appears that a certain someone’s imagery will be mandatory in the updated U.S. passport. Renew now and request a passport book with extra pages to avoid this imagery,” reads the post on Reddit.
Many Americans believe their passport isn’t a political statement, and plenty have been saying that they don’t want Trump’s image on their travel documents. Some have expressed that they want to get ahead of the change, and the idea of Trump being on the passports has pushed them to renew even before their existing passports expire.
“No joke, I have my passport renewal application sitting in my backpack right now to drop off after work, even though I have until 2029,” reads one American’s comment on the Reddit thread.
One individual responded, “Going to do the same, can you imagine having to look at his […] face for 10 years of travel?”
It’s worth noting that the limited edition “Patriot Passport” featuring Trump’s image and signature was dubbed “North Korea vibes” by some Americans when one person posted an image of it on Reddit earlier this year for America’s 250th anniversary. The department released it as a limited-edition passport only. It didn’t go well on Instagram either, where many Americans expressed their frustration at the new patriotic design, saying they don’t want someone’s “mugshot” on their passports.
The American public also claimed that the Patriot Passport is unsold stock that no one wants when the State Department released thousands more of that version after its initial release. While that one is a limited-edition commemorative release for America’s 250th anniversary only, the upcoming “Flight of the Eagle” design is a permanent overhaul for the standard U.S. passport, which is pushing many Americans to renew early solely for the fact it may feature Trump’s image.
Americans’ Reactions To The New U.S. Passport Design
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“Regardless of what political party you align with, no living political figure ought to be on our passport or currency, much less a sitting president.” |
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“I have a name change hearing on 5 November. I’ll be getting a new passport the following day.” |
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“Good thing I don’t need to go back to the U.S. for the foreseeable future.” |
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“Thankfully, mine is valid until 2034.” |
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“Renewed early to avoid embarrassment.” |
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“As long as there’s no picture of Trump, I’m good.” |
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“Looks like I’ll be getting a new passport soon before 2028.” |
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“Thanks for the heads-up. I will renew mine a year early to avoid the added stain.” |
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“Trump on the inside cover makes me very glad I am renewing next year instead of 2028.” |
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“I had a nightmare last week that I had lost my current passport, and while reapplying, the ONLY option was the awful Trump passport. I can’t believe I had a literal NIGHTMARE about this.” |
Some Americans also drew similarities between Trump’s image in the “Flight of the Eagle” passport design and the national park “America the Beautiful” passes, which also featured the president on the designs when the new passes were released earlier this year.
Some passholders resorted to putting stickers over Trump’s face on their passes, but the Department of the Interior (DOI), the parent agency of the National Park Service (NPS), got wind and swiftly clarified that doing so would result in the passes being voided.
“The National Park Service yearly pass wasn’t enough? People are putting stickers on his face. And some park rangers are confiscating “defaced” cards. Ridiculous,” another individual commented on this Reddit thread.
However, as the department said, the new passport design isn’t coming until 2028, giving Americans more time to renew just before the deadline, if they choose not to have the new “Flight of the Eagle” artwork that might include Trump. TheTravel has contacted the U.S. Department of State for further comment on the matter.
What The New ‘Flight Of The Eagle’ U.S. Passport Design Means For American Travelers
The upcoming “Flight of the Eagle” passport isn’t just a visual refresh or a travel document, as Rubio said. Its artwork is a symbol of “American strength and freedom.”
It will be the new standard U.S. passport with a new artwork overhaul and a 38-page format, replacing the current 26- and 50-page options. The cost remains the same: $130 for those who are renewing or getting a new one, although it is not coming until 2028. It will also arrive in a “nicer” envelope.
How To Apply For A U.S. Passport In 2027
Americans applying for a passport in 2027 can do so through America.gov, and they can take their own passport photo using their phones and submit it online for processing, where they will be updated with the progress through a real-time status tool.
However, The New York Times reports that young children under 16 are still required to apply in person, as their applications “require additional safeguards,” according to the Department of State.
At this time, passport applications, particularly for first-time applicants, still require an in-person appearance to bring printed documents to a passport acceptance facility.
The upcoming “Flight of the Eagle” passport may be another consideration for Americans who refuse to have Trump on their book, although the U.S. Department of State has yet to confirm his image’s inclusion, now that this will be the standard U.S. passport.
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