President Donald Trump’s name has been added to the US Institute of Peace (USIP) building in Washington, after the Department of State rebranded the organisation on Wednesday.
The president’s name was added in large block capitals ahead of a peace agreement signing ceremony between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to be held at that location on Thursday.
The institute was founded as an independent, non-profit think tank funded by Congress, but efforts by Trump’s administration to exert control by cutting staff and budgets has resulted in a legal battle between the two sides.
Trump has campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize, and often speaks of his achievements in global diplomacy.
The Department of State announced the renaming to “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace” on social media with a post that said it was done “to reflect the greatest dealmaker in our nation’s history” and added “the best is yet to come”.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly shared the post and wrote: “Congratulations, world”. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented on social media, saying that Trump is the “President of Peace” and it was time for the state department to “display that”.
With the building set to be used as the location for the signing of a new peace agreement between Rwanda and the DRC, the Trump administration appears to have changed its approach to USIP.
Earlier this year, the same building was one of the epicentres of drama surrounding efforts by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which he then led, to slash government spending.
Staff of the non-profit were removed by the Trump administration and the leadership replaced, until a judge intervened. The future of the organisation is not clear, with the matter still before the courts.
George Foote, a lawyer representing the former leadership team and staff of the institute, told BBC the new building name was adding “insult to injury”.
“A federal judge has already ruled that the government’s armed takeover was illegal. That judgement is stayed while the government appeals, which is the only reason the government continues to control the building.”
A message on the modern-day USIP website now reads: “The United States Institute of Peace is the nation’s independent, nonpartisan institute that supports the Executive Branch in resolving violent conflict abroad.”
Since taking office in January for his second term in the White House, Trump has been at the helm of several high-profile renamings.
The Department of Defense was rebranded as the Department of War. Trump also signed an order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, and to change the name of Denali to Mount McKinley.
And Republican lawmakers have proposed a number of rebrandings to include the president’s name.
Congressman Paul Gosar proposed the creation of a new $500 note with Trump’s portrait on it, and a bill was introduced to Congress calling for Dulles International Airport in Washington to be renamed after him.
(BBC)
