About an hour and 51 minutes into a State Department livestream held to launch America.gov, a new government services website, Secretary of State Marco Rubio displayed a grid of passport page thumbnails for roughly 10 seconds. During the Sept. 29 presentation, Rubio walked viewers through the new book without mentioning what Frommer’s later spotted in the top left corner of the grid: a portrait of President Donald Trump among the pages of the redesigned passport. That design, which Rubio called the “Flight of the Eagle” passport, will replace the standard U.S. passport starting in 2028, according to Forbes.
However, the State Department has declined to confirm that the president’s image will make the final version. Until now, Americans who preferred to travel without Trump’s face in their documents had an easy option, as the commemorative edition released this summer went only to people who requested it. An adult passport stays valid for 10 years, so a book issued in the next year or so could stay in a traveler’s bag well into the 2030s.
What the 2028 “Flight Of The Eagle” Passport Will Look Like
Forbes describes the redesign as a single 38-page book with artwork covering 250 years of American history, from the American Revolution through space exploration, plus a larger gold seal on the front cover. Flipping the pages quickly makes a bald eagle appear to fly above the historical scenes, and the finished passport will ship in a white box in place of the plain envelope applicants receive today. When Forbes asked whether the new standard book would carry the president’s image, a State Department spokesperson declined to confirm it and instead pointed to the commemorative Patriot Passport, which the department says remains available while supplies last.
David Alwadish, founder and CEO of the passport and visa service ItsEasy.com, told Forbes the Trump image in Rubio’s preview looks like a fixed feature of the 2028 book. Anyone who specifically wants to avoid it “probably has a narrow window to apply,” he said. Alwadish added that the government has not said whether every passport issued after a set date must use the new design, even if stock of the current books remains.
How Trump’s Portrait First Entered US Passports
The State Department first announced a commemorative passport in April for America’s 250th birthday, making Trump the first living president to appear in the travel document. Officials told the Associated Press it would initially be available only to applicants at the Washington, D.C., passport office who specifically requested it.
Trump shared his own rendering on Truth Social in June, captioned “Welcome, but be good!” and featuring a portrait of himself leaning on his desk over the text of the Declaration of Independence, AFP reported. The department’s Passport 250 page now lists 250,000 commemorative books. They are issued only through phone-booked, in-person appointments at the Washington Passport Agency or at special events held at passport agencies and centers around the country.
Five senators had already pressed Rubio on the idea in a May letter, writing that to their knowledge “no country places the portrait of a sitting leader in its passport.” The senators also argued that the U.S. passport had never shown a sitting president and should not begin now.
How to Renew Your US Passport Before 2028
Americans hoping to receive the current design can renew by mail even if their passports still have years of validity. Eligible applicants must have a 10-year passport issued within the past 15 years, when they were at least 16. The document must be undamaged and never reported lost or stolen. Applicants submit Form DS-82, their current passport, a photograph, and the $130 renewal fee. Those whose names have changed must also provide supporting documentation.
Online renewal has stricter requirements. Applicants must be at least 25, hold a passport expiring within one year or expired less than five years ago, and have no international travel planned for at least six weeks. Online renewals cannot be expedited. Both methods leave travelers without a usable passport during processing. Mail applicants surrender their book, while online applicants have theirs invalidated after submission. The State Department estimates four to six weeks for routine processing or two to three weeks for expedited service, which costs an additional $60. Mailing can add up to four weeks.
Those traveling within 14 days can request an urgent passport appointment, while online applicants whose plans change can call 877-487-2778. Renewing early means losing any unused validity on the previous passport, although a new adult book will remain valid for 10 years. The department has not announced when it will phase out the current design. Its processing calendar identifies October through December as the least busy period for applications.
