The US State Department is set to release a limited number of specially designed passports to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, featuring President Donald Trump's portrait, signature, and elements of the US flag.

Images released by the White House and State Department show Trump's portrait against a backdrop of the Declaration of Independence and the flag. Another page depicts the Founding Fathers signing the document.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the commemorative passports will be available to US citizens applying through the Washington Passport Agency, starting this summer while supplies last.

This is the latest example of the Trump administration's efforts to imprint the president's personal branding on public institutions. Earlier, national park passes featured Trump's image alongside George Washington, and the US Mint proposed a $1 coin with Trump's profile and the slogan "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT."

Trump has also renamed the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after himself, demolished the White House East Wing for a ballroom, and plans to build a triumphal arch modeled after the one in Paris.

Critics argue these moves blur the line between public office and personal branding, while supporters see them as patriotic commemorations of the nation's milestone.

Source: www.aljazeera.com