The Trump administration has officially suspended plans to feature abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the U.S. $20 bill, ending for now a decade-long effort that would have made her the first Black woman to appear on American paper currency.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the department is no longer pursuing the redesign, reversing an initiative first announced in 2016 under the Obama administration. The original proposal called for replacing former President Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 note with Tubman, while moving Jackson’s portrait to the reverse side.
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The redesign has faced repeated delays over the past decade. The Trump administration postponed the project during the president’s first term, citing the need to prioritize advanced anti-counterfeiting technology. The Biden administration later revived the proposal, but projected that the redesigned currency would not enter circulation before 2030 because of the lengthy production process.
The latest decision has drawn criticism from lawmakers and civil rights advocates, who argue that honoring Tubman would recognize her extraordinary contributions to American history. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped to freedom before risking her life to lead dozens of enslaved people to safety through the Underground Railroad. She also served as a Union scout and spy during the Civil War and later became a prominent advocate for women’s suffrage.
Supporters of the redesign have vowed to continue pushing for Tubman’s inclusion on U.S. currency through legislative action. While the Treasury Department has not ruled out future changes to the $20 bill, officials have indicated that no work is currently underway to move the Tubman redesign forward.
