President Donald Trump appears to have renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace Headquarters after himself, despite his administration’s ongoing efforts to dismantle the congressionally funded nonprofit.
A new silver sign reading “Donald J. Trump” was added to the facade on Wednesday.
“The United States Institute of Peace was once a bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to The Hill about the apparent name change.
“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,” Kelly continued.
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The White House did not respond to NOTUS’ request for comment.
The new signage, first reported by NBC News, comes as the White House prepares USIP for a Thursday visit from leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to sign a peace agreement Trump helped broker earlier this year.
Founded by Congress in 1984, the USIP describes itself as “the nation’s independent, nonpartisan institute that supports the Executive Branch in resolving violent conflict abroad.”
The nonprofit’s website was reformatted on Wednesday to only show one page titled “President Donald J. Trump to Sign Historic Peace Agreement at USIP Headquarters,” with a link to watch the Thursday ceremony live.
The site’s former pages, including its biographical section, research and analysis pages and region map, are all no longer accessible.
“President Trump will be remembered by history as the President of Peace,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in an X post highlighting the new signage. “It’s time our State Department display that.”
Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency targeted USIP earlier this year, firing all of the institute’s board members and starting the process of dismantling its operations.
A federal judge in May halted the DOGE takeover. In a 102-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the Trump administration abused its authority in the dismantling of USIP’s board and employees.
In a statement to The Hill, an attorney who represented USIP staff, George Foote, said, “Renaming the USIP building 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 continued. “The rightful owners will ultimately prevail and will restore the U.S. Institute of Peace and the building to their statutory purposes.”
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