On Thursday, President Donald Trump expressed his excitement over the United States Institute of Peace being newly adorned with his name. Prior to an event at the institute featuring leaders from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the building, which has stood since 2011, showcased Trump’s name in gold lettering. The State Department had announced on Wednesday that the U.S. Institute of Peace—often referred to as USIP—would see Trump’s name added, signifying a ‘renaming’ of sorts.
The State Department made an announcement on X, stating the name addition was a nod to Trump being considered the ‘greatest dealmaker in our nation’s history.’ During the event, Trump acknowledged Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the tribute, expressing his gratitude. “And thank you for putting a certain name on that building. I came, I said, ‘Boy, that’s beautiful.’ That blew up last night. That’s a great honor,” Trump remarked to Rubio, who modestly responded, “Just a little bit,” as Trump chuckled.
Trump went on to say that the name addition was particularly significant as it marked their first gathering in the stunning new facility. “I don’t want to tell you how much it costs because I hear it’s a lot. OK? They don’t build inexpensively here,” he noted. The U.S. Institute of Peace was established by Congress in 1984, with its headquarters, situated near the State Department in Washington, D.C.’s Foggy Bottom district, completed in 2011.
Since Trump came back into office in January, there’s been a legal battle over the institute’s future after it became an early target of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. In March, there was a physical showdown between DOGE employees, private security, law enforcement, and USIP’s leadership, which saw the old guard tossed out of the building. Trump replaced USIP’s president and also fired the institute’s board.
The staff have been fired twice as the case winds through the courts. The building is currently in the hands of the General Services Administration, but that might not last. At issue is whether USIP is an independent creation of Congress – and thus outside Trump’s executive authority – or an executive branch organization. The Trump administration has been arguing it’s the latter. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly called USIP a ‘bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace.’
‘Now, the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, which is both beautifully and aptly named after a President who ended eight wars in less than a year, will stand as a powerful reminder of what strong leadership can accomplish for global stability,’ she told the Daily Mail in a statement. ‘Congratulations, world!’ she added. George Foote, a lawyer for USIP’s former leadership and staff, told NPR that the renaming ‘adds insult to injury.’
‘A federal judge has already ruled that the government’s armed takeover was illegal. That judgment is stayed while the government appeals, which is the only reason the government continues to control the building,’ Foote said. During Thursday’s event, which brought together Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame for a peace deal signing, Trump floated what institution might see a name change next.
The president called out FIFA leader Gianni Infantino, who was seated in the crowd, as he’s in Washington this week for the World Cup draw. ‘And you have a big event on Friday at the Trump-Kennedy Center,’ the president said. ‘Oh, excuse me, the Kennedy Center. And I look forward to seeing you there.’
