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When it was revealed last spring that the State Department would be releasing a limited-edition passport featuring President Trump’s image and signature, the so-called Patriot Passport was immediately panned across social media platforms. While some Americans were just worried about the logistics of having a non-standard travel document, others went as far as to liken Trump’s actions to those of Kim Jong Un, saying the new design had “North Korea vibes.”

Initially, Patriot Passports were only available to those who applied in person at the Washington D.C. Passport Agency, but the State Department announced yesterday that they will now be available at 28 passport centers nationwide.

The State Department claims the new initiative is “in response to overwhelming demand,” but just like last April’s announcement, some aren’t so sure. The news of the nationwide rollout of Patriot Passports has left Reddit users speculating whether there was ever much demand at all; they wonder if this new initiative is merely a tool to unload leftover pre-made books that never garnered much interest during the D.C. release.

The announcement is particularly worrisome for those who both want to opt out of the Trump-laden design, and have to renew their passport soon, as there were some visitors to the D.C. office that received a Trump passport who far preferred the standard version. Thankfully, for those who are seeking to get new documents this summer, there is one definitive way to ensure you get the standard design.

Patriot Passports Will Be Available Across The Nation On August 8

The State Department announced July 30 that the controversial special edition semiquincentennial passports featuring a likeness of Trump and his signature will be rolling out to offices nationwide. According to their statement, they have produced another 250,000 Patriot Passports to be made available to any American who chooses to make an appointment on select days at one of 28 offices and agencies where they will be offered.

“Since its release in celebration of 250 years of American independence, the commemorative passport has generated extraordinary public interest. The Department of State is responding by expanding access so Americans across the country can obtain this unique and special document. The Department is hosting application events at passport agencies and centers for patriots all across our nation,” reads the text of a statement released by the U.S. Department of State.

In the statement, the State Department claims the new nationwide rollout of the Patriot Passport is a direct response to immense public interest, but some Americans aren’t so sure. Users of the subreddit r/Passports have been debating the truth of this claim, including one person who reportedly works for the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) who believes that this nationwide rollout is merely a bit of subterfuge to conceal the large amount of unsold Trump passports. This user thinks “no one was interested, now they’re trying to drum up some business.”

“I work at NPIC and I had maybe half a dozen calls when they were announced. Now that you can get them at commemorative [passport] fairs around the country, and they’re promoting it on social media, people still aren’t wanting them,” says one Reddit user.

Though their online debate is, for now, just speculation, it would not be out of the question to believe that this was the case considering the amount of backlash the original release received. “More than likely they undersold them in DC, so they shipped them all out to other passport offices and rebranded it as a brand-new batch,” chimed in another Reddit user.

Some Fear “Patriot Passports” Will Be Given To Americans Who Don’t Request It

Users are also speculating about both the necessity and the veracity of the additional 250,000 Patriot Passports that the State Department claims is rolling out nationwide. “250,000 passport blanks is a lot,” said one user, shocked that they would possibly need so many. Another user replied with a possible scenario that may explain the large number.

“I would assume it’s an insanely huge amount. And I would also not be surprised if that number was a total lie and they made up the 250K because it both sounds good and fits Trump’s tacky theme of numbering things after other important numbers (this time the 250th year of Independence),” replied a user on Reddit.

Whether the figure is accurate or not, many users believe that any unrequested stock of Trump’s commemorative passports will end up in the hands of unsuspecting Americans. “I doubt that’s going to be enough to get through the stock, so they’ll have to start sending them to anyone who orders a passport,” lamented one user, to which another user replied, “Probably. But they’re going to try and find willing suckers… I mean “patriots” first.”

While that may seem hyperbolic, there were some instances of Patriot Passports being issued to those who didn’t want them in the initial rollout.

Several People Received The “Patriot Passport” Design Who Did Not Want It

Though the State Department is heavily touting the Patriot Passport, online chatter seems to indicate that many – maybe most – Americans aren’t interested. The initial rollout spurned several reports of citizens who were surprised to find Trump’s portrait inside their new identification despite not asking for it.

Earlier this month, NPR spoke to Kim Zaninovich outside the State Department’s D.C. Passport Agency. In need of an emergency passport for a last-minute trip, she inadvertently ended up with an appointment on the same day they began issuing the commemorative Trump version.

Even though Zaninovich wanted the standard design, she was instead met with the scowling face of Donald Trump on the inside cover of her new booklet upon exiting the office.

“It’s an angry look. He’s standing in front of the Declaration of Independence, which is something that he clearly doesn’t stand for. You know, I think it’s very interesting that here we are, the 250th anniversary of this country, and the grievances that were written against King George are the same grievances, for the most part, that could be written against him right now. And it’s embarrassing,” Zaninovich told NPR.

Zaninovitch also said that she was not given a choice to opt for a passport with the standard design.

The same thing happened to others for whom the Washington D.C. Passport Agency is simply the closest outlet to apply for rushed travel documents. Virginia’s Jadyn Afante and North Carolina’s Jackson Baselice, in a hurry to receive new passports, both ended up with the Trump version against their wishes. Afante was unaware of the State Department’s initiative, and didn’t see any signs or materials in the office that led her to believe she’d get any passport other than the standard version.

“Someone that doesn’t care about immigrants shouldn’t be on a passport. This leaves me feeling quite sad. If only I did this a week before,” Afante told the New York Times.

While not quite as devastated as Afante, Baselice was irked to receive a Patriot Passport rather than the regular version.

“[The Patriot Passport] seems a little silly to me. I would be frustrated if people internationally had predisposed judgments about me because of it,” Baselice told the New York Times.

Baselice had made his appointment at the D.C. agency for reasons wholly unrelated to Trump’s commemorative passports; he needed it for a trip to France he had booked the following day.

What Zaninovitch, Afante, and Baselice didn’t know at the time is that there is one surefire way to ensure that you’ll receive the standard design on your booklet, even if you end up applying at a passport office on the same day as one of the upcoming events.

How To Avoid Receiving The “Patriot Passport”

According to the State Department, you will not receive the Patriot Passport if you apply in a handful of different ways.

However, if the online chatter turns out to be correct, and the State Department does end up needing to offload thousands of blank passport books emblazoned with Trump’s visage, besides ordering the less-powerful passport card instead, there is one surefire way to receive the standard design.

Patriot Passports are only manufactured in the standard size book, meaning those with 26 pages. All 52-page passport books are the regular design, and cost the same amount as its smaller alternative. Besides ensuring Trump’s face won’t be adorning your passport for the next ten years, a larger book is always a good option for Americans who travel frequently.