The U.S. State Department is expanding distribution of its limited-edition 250th anniversary passport book, a commemorative document that includes an interior portrait of President Donald Trump. For Americans who want a federal travel document without that image, the clearest workaround is not a sticker or cover modification, but applying for a standard U.S. passport card, which is a separate document with no visa pages and no commemorative interior artwork.
The commemorative passport rollout is expanding
The State Department said it created a special 250th anniversary passport book, branded on its website as the “Patriot Passport,” and is making 250,000 of the commemorative books available nationwide. On July 30, the department expanded access beyond Washington by adding special in-person events at passport agencies and centers around the country, according to both the department’s passport website and reporting by The Associated Press.
The department’s own description of the commemorative book confirms the image at the center of the controversy. On its official page, the inside front cover is described as showing “a portrait of President Donald J. Trump” alongside the Declaration of Independence. AP reported that Trump is the first living president featured in a current U.S. passport document.
The State Department also spelled out where Americans will not receive that commemorative book. Its website says applicants who apply online, mail in an application, use a standard passport acceptance facility such as a post office or library, or apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad will not receive a “Patriot Passport.” That means the commemorative version is tied to specific in-person appointment channels rather than routine application methods.
For Americans looking to avoid Trump’s image entirely on a newly issued federal travel document, the most direct verified alternative is the U.S. passport card. The State Department says the passport card is a wallet-sized plastic passport with no visa pages, and its design-and-security page does not list the commemorative 250th anniversary artwork as part of the card product.
That distinction matters because the Trump portrait is part of the commemorative passport book’s interior cover design, not the passport card format. The State Department’s passport FAQ says Americans can apply for either a passport book or a passport card, or both, and confirms that adults who already have a passport book may apply for their first passport card by mail if they are eligible to renew using Form DS-82.
There are limits. The passport card is not valid for international air travel, according to the State Department fee chart and passport FAQ. It can be used for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean destinations, and it is also REAL ID-compliant for domestic flights and identity purposes inside the United States.
The practical impact depends on how someone travels. A traveler who needs a full passport book for overseas air travel will still need the book format, but routine application channels outside the commemorative event system do not issue the “Patriot Passport,” according to the State Department. A person who mainly wants a federal ID for domestic flights or for land-and-sea crossings may be able to choose only the passport card and avoid the commemorative book altogether.
Cost is also part of the calculation. The State Department’s March 2026 fee chart lists a first-time adult passport card at $30, plus a $35 execution fee for in-person DS-11 applications, while an adult renewal passport card costs $30 on Form DS-82. By comparison, a first-time adult passport book costs $130 before the acceptance fee.
The broader point is that Americans do have a documented, lawful option that avoids altering a passport book. The State Department continues to market the 250th anniversary book as a limited commemorative product with standard security features, while also maintaining the separate passport card format for travelers whose needs fit its narrower travel rules.