Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Canceled: Treasury Department Decision 2026

Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Plan Scrapped: Treasury Confirms Abandonment of Decade-Old Redesign

Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is officially dead — at least for now. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed Monday that the Trump administration has abandoned the decade-old plan to put the abolitionist on the $20 bill, sparking outrage from Democrats and civil rights advocates. Harriet Tubman $20 bill, Tubman $20 bill, Treasury decision 2026, Scott Bessent, Trump currency redesign, Harriet Tubman news, US currency redesign, $20 bill redesign, Treasury Department, and breaking news — these are the searches dominating political coverage right now. Bessent told Spectrum News that the department is "not at present" moving forward with the plan first announced by the Obama administration in 2016. He gave no explanation for the decision. Read more breaking news →

The move comes as the Trump administration has signaled it would move quickly to put the president's face on a proposed $250 bill to mark the nation's 250th anniversary — if Congress approves. According to Reuters, no new person has been put on U.S. paper currency since 1928, making the Tubman redesign a historic and symbolic change. Read more politics →

The Plan That Was Never Realized

The Obama administration announced in 2016 that Tubman would replace seventh U.S. President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Then-Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the decision followed thousands of responses from Americans who participated in a public engagement process on currency redesign.

Tubman, born into slavery in the early 1820s, helped hundreds of enslaved people escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. She would have been the first African American on the face of U.S. paper currency. Since 1928, no new person has been put on U.S. paper currency, making the Tubman redesign a historic and symbolic change, according to Reuters.

A History of Delays Across Three Administrations

The plan faced repeated delays since its initial announcement. During his first presidential campaign, Donald Trump called the move "pure political correctness" and suggested Tubman be featured on the $2 bill instead. No progress was made during Trump's first term.

In 2019, then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the release would be delayed until at least 2028, citing the need to incorporate anti-counterfeiting technology into other denominations.

The project saw renewed momentum after President Joe Biden took office in 2021. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Treasury Department was "taking steps to resume efforts" and exploring ways to speed up the process.

Biden's Treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, revived the project but estimated in 2022 that the redesigned currency would not be ready until 2030, citing the technical complexity of developing sophisticated anti-counterfeiting features.

The $250 Bill Controversy

Bessent's decision to scrap the Tubman plan comes as some officials in the Trump administration have sought to put the president's face on a proposed $250 bill to mark the country's 250th anniversary.

When asked why the Treasury Department is not moving forward with a $20 note featuring Tubman while making preparations for a $250 bill with Trump's portrait, Bessent drew a legal distinction.

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

Bills to require the Tubman redesign remain pending in the Senate and House, respectively. Read more about the Trump $250 bill →

Outrage from Democrats and Civil Rights Advocates

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers who have long supported the project.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat who has introduced legislation supporting the Tubman redesign since 2015, said she was "extremely disappointed" and argued that commemorating Tubman would have been a fitting way to honor women's contributions to American history.

"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."

In 2019, Ernestine Wyatt, a descendant of Tubman, told CNN that the decision to delay the redesign "smacks of racist rhetoric."

What's Next for the Tubman $20 Bill?

With Bessent's confirmation that the redesign is not actively moving forward, the future of the proposal remains uncertain. No new date or process for its potential reconsideration has been announced.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat, introduced legislation aimed at requiring Tubman's image on the $20 bill by 2025, though that bill was never passed into law. Supporters like Shaheen and Beatty have continued to push for legislative or administrative action to revive the project.

Bills to require the Tubman redesign remain pending in the Senate and House, respectively. It remains unclear whether President Trump personally directed Treasury to formally halt the effort, or whether Bessent's comments reflect a broader administrative decision made independently within the department.

FAQ: Harriet Tubman $20 Bill

Q: Why was Harriet Tubman going to be on the $20 bill?
A: The Obama administration announced in 2016 that Tubman would replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill to honor her role in leading enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Q: When was the Tubman $20 bill supposed to be released?
A: The original goal was 2020. It was later delayed to 2026, then to 2028, then to 2030. Now the plan has been abandoned entirely.

Q: What did Donald Trump say about the Tubman $20 bill?
A: During his 2016 campaign, Trump called the move "pure political correctness" and suggested Tubman be featured on the $2 bill instead.

Q: Is Trump going to be on a $250 bill?
A: Some officials in the Trump administration have sought to put his face on a proposed $250 bill to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. A living person on currency requires an act of Congress.

Q: Has a woman ever been on U.S. paper currency?
A: No woman has ever appeared on the face of U.S. paper currency. Martha Washington appeared on a $1 silver certificate in the late 19th century, but not on the face of a bill.

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