The Trump administration has officially renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace after President Trump, affixing his name to the organization’s headquarters amid an ongoing dispute over control, the AP reports. This move comes in the midst of a protracted legal battle over the management of the U.S. Institute of Peace, a nonprofit think tank focused on peace initiatives. Earlier this year, the institute became a target of the Department of Government Efficiency.
On Wednesday, the State Department announced the renaming of the organization to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, saying the change honors “the greatest dealmaker in our nation’s history.” The new name now appears on the building near the State Department.
President Trump has spent months advocating for a Nobel Peace Prize, arguing he helped ease several global conflicts, though he was not awarded the prize this year. At the same time, his administration has carried out strikes on suspected drug vessels off Venezuela’s coast and has repeatedly warned of potential attacks on land, moves critics say could constitute acts of war. The transition of the Peace Institute to Trump’s control was far from smooth: his administration seized the independent entity and removed its board before putting his name on the building.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, “The United States Institute of Peace was once a bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace. Now, the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, 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 added, “Congratulations, world!”
George Foote, lawyer for the former institute leadership and staff, criticized the move, saying the renaming “adds insult to injury.” He noted, “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.”