Trump's Building Renaming Campaign Challenges Presidential Norms
President Donald Trump has demonstrated a particular fondness for seeing his name prominently displayed on grand structures bearing the Trump brand. Since assuming office, the Trump administration has systematically attached the Trump name to several significant federal buildings and institutions located in Washington, D.C., sparking considerable controversy and debate about presidential decorum.
Recent Renaming Efforts
In December, the administration appended the words "The Donald J. Trump" to the front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, placing it above the name of the assassinated president the center memorializes. That same month witnessed the State Department renaming the U.S. Institute of Peace as the Donald J. Trump U.S. Institute of Peace, despite the administration having attempted to dismantle the organization earlier in the year. The department characterized this rebranding as a tribute to what they called the "greatest dealmaker in our nation's history."
While there remains no official designation for the East Wing White House ballroom currently under construction, ABC reported in October that accommodating staff members have begun referring to it as "the President Donald J. Trump Ballroom." Additionally, there exists the proposed Arc de Trump, later rebranded as the "Independence Arch," a massive 250-foot-tall memorial intended for placement in a grassy circle situated between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
Expanding Beyond Federal Properties
The renaming ambitions appear to extend beyond federal properties. On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt faced questions regarding why the president had requested Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to assist him in renaming New York's Penn Station and Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., in his honor. When pressed for explanation, Leavitt responded simply, "Why not?"
This approach starkly contrasts with historical precedent, as presidents traditionally wait until after leaving office before accepting the honor of having government buildings or transportation hubs named after them. The practice is considered sufficiently inappropriate that sitting presidents have actively denied such renaming efforts in the past.
Historical Precedents and Presidential Refusals
In 1975, President Gerald Ford vetoed legislation that would have designated a new federal office building and courthouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as the "President Gerald R. Ford Federal Office Building." Ford argued in a formal letter that naming federal buildings after sitting presidents established an improper precedent that should not be followed.
Thomas Balcerski, a professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, emphasized that Ford was not alone in this perspective. "Way back to George Washington, he refused to allow the new federal city to be named after him, insisting on the District of Columbia instead," Balcerski explained. "Harry Truman explicitly declined to have roads or buildings named after him while in office."
While several federal buildings have been renamed for presidents in recent history, such as the George Bush Center for Intelligence in Virginia or John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, no government buildings or airports have been named for a sitting president. Outside of presidential library designs, no federal buildings are currently named or planned to be named for Barack Obama or Joe Biden.
Violating Norms and Democratic Principles
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) believes there exists a significant reason behind Trump's determination to affix his name to federal buildings. "It's no secret that President Trump is undermining democracy and moving this country toward authoritarianism," Sanders stated earlier this year. "Part of that strategy is to create the myth of the 'Great Leader' by naming public buildings after himself—something that dictators have done throughout history."
In January, Sanders and other Democratic senators introduced legislation specifically designed to prohibit naming federal property after sitting presidents: The aptly named Stop Executive Renaming for Vanity and Ego (SERVE) Act.
Historical Perspectives on Presidential Legacy
Michael J. Allen, an associate professor of history at Northwestern University, noted that such honors are typically bestowed through acts of Congress or by state or local officials, not self-initiated by presidents. "Earlier presidents would have deemed such a thing more suited to a monarch than a democratic leader," Allen remarked, adding that Trump "violates the norms and customs his predecessors established over centuries."
Michael Kazin, a professor of history at Georgetown University, suggested the building renaming efforts relate more directly to Trump's desire to be remembered as the greatest president in American history. "I think that makes him long to have one or several monuments with his name on them in neoclassical design," Kazin observed. "[Trump's] grandiosity betrays a profound insecurity about how popular he is and how he stacks up against the 'greats.'"
Ellen Fitzpatrick, a professor of history emerita at the University of New Hampshire, acknowledged that U.S. presidents, particularly those interested in history, have contemplated their legacy and historical standing while in office. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be recognized for greatness," Fitzpatrick noted, "but most presidents have, I think, understood they could not crown themselves, and create their own bed of laurels while in office."
Public Acceptance Challenges
Renaming structures presents inherent challenges, as public acceptance cannot be guaranteed simply through official designation. Balcerski pointed to the example of the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York, which became the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge after reconstruction, yet most New Yorkers continue using the original name. "Can you imagine how New Yorkers would feel about Penn Station being named Trump New York Station, Trump New York Penn Station, or some variant therein?" Balcerski questioned. "I doubt the city would take kindly to the effort."
The ongoing controversy highlights fundamental questions about presidential norms, democratic traditions, and how leaders choose to establish their historical legacies while still holding office.
