Travel SmarterOctober 12, 2026
The Trump Passport and the New US Passport Design for 2028
Two passport developments are being discussed at the same time, and they are easy to conflate. One is a commemorative passport for America’s 250th anniversary. The other is a redesign of the standard U.S. passport, which the State Department has indicated for an anticipated rollout in 2028.
They are not the same passport. What is confirmed for the commemorative edition should not be assumed to apply to the standard book.
The Patriot Passport: the commemorative edition, explained
The Patriot Passport is the commemorative edition announced for the United States’ 250th anniversary, and the name it is generally known by. It includes a portrait of President Trump. According to the State Department, it is the first time a sitting president has appeared in a U.S. passport.
The edition is optional and available by request. The State Department lists 250,000 commemorative passports. Arranging one requires a phone-booked, in-person appointment at the Washington Passport Agency or access to a special event where they are offered. It is separate from the passport issued through a regular renewal.
The commemorative passport remains a U.S. passport. Standard passport fees and processing times apply. For the State Department’s information on its availability and design, see its commemorative 250th anniversary passport page.
The new US passport design: the "Flight of the Eagle" redesign
The planned redesign of the standard U.S. passport is being called “Flight of the Eagle.” The State Department has indicated an anticipated rollout in 2028, and in a Federal Register notice has confirmed that the redesigned passport will move to a single 38-page book, replacing the current 26-page and 50-page options. The 50-page book will be retired, a change the notice notes will mean more frequent renewals for a small number of frequent travellers.
Reported descriptions of the design include artwork spanning 250 years of American history, a larger gold seal on the cover, and a white presentation box in place of a plain envelope. The change in book size is set out authoritatively in the notice; the wider design details are reported rather than confirmed.
Either way, an anticipated rollout is not a switchover date. The State Department has not announced when the current design will stop being issued.
Is Trump on the new passport? What is not confirmed
A portrait of President Trump was briefly visible among passport-page thumbnails during a State Department livestream on September 29, 2026. Frommer's spotted the image and reported on it.
The State Department has not confirmed whether the portrait will appear in the final standard passport. In response to questions, the department has instead pointed to the commemorative edition, where the portrait is confirmed.
Those are two different levels of certainty: the portrait is confirmed for the Patriot Passport, but not for the final standard passport design. The State Department has also not announced a phase-out date for the current design. Nobody should renew on the strength of a rumour.
How to renew your passport early: the practical trade-off
There is no “early renewal” option as such. This is an ordinary renewal filed ahead of the expiry date, and the reason to file one now is design rather than speed.
If you want a passport in the design currently being issued, renewal is the route to applying for a new passport now. You cannot request a particular design as part of a renewal. Since no phase-out date has been announced, there is no need to renew simply because of a prediction about when the current design might stop being issued.
The practical catch is that you cannot renew early and keep your current passport in hand. When you renew by mail, you send your current passport with the application. When you renew online, the passport being renewed is invalidated when you submit. Either way, you will not have a usable passport for international travel while the application is being processed.
Renewing by mail: Form DS-82
You may be eligible to renew by mail using Form DS-82 if your passport:
- Is a 10-year passport issued within the last 15 years.
- Was issued when you were 16 or older.
- Is undamaged and has not been reported lost or stolen.
You submit Form DS-82, your current passport, a passport photo, and the $130 passport-book fee. If your name has changed, include supporting documentation.
Renewing online
Online renewal has narrower eligibility rules. You must be at least 25, and your passport must be expiring within one year or have expired within the past five years. You also must not have international travel planned for at least six weeks after applying. Online renewal cannot be expedited.
Review the State Department’s online renewal eligibility and instructions before starting. If your plans change after you apply, call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.
Passport processing time: routine, expedited, and urgent travel
Current routine passport processing time is 4 to 6 weeks. Expedited service takes 2 to 3 weeks and costs an additional $60. Mailing time can add up to four weeks to the overall process. See the State Department’s current processing times, as estimates can change.
If you are traveling internationally within 14 days, an urgent appointment at a passport agency is the relevant route, not an ordinary renewal. October through December tends to be the quietest period for passport applications, but quieter periods do not remove processing or mailing time.
What renewing early means for your passport
When you renew, you give up the remaining validity on your old passport. A new adult passport book is valid for 10 years. Renewing early is a timing choice, not a way to hold two usable passports.
The short version
Three things sit close together here, so it is worth keeping them apart. The Patriot Passport is a limited commemorative edition, available by request. “Flight of the Eagle” is a redesign of the standard book, indicated for an anticipated rollout in 2028, with no announced phase-out date for the current design. And the renewal rules are the ordinary mechanics that apply whenever you apply for a new passport, whether that is now or in several years. The dates and details above are information, not a recommendation either way.
Sources
These official State Department pages provide the renewal and commemorative-passport details, so readers can check the current information.