The Washington, D.C., building that has long housed the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) now bears a new name: the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. The White House installed the new name on the building on Wednesday, according to The Washington Post.
The change came just one day before the president is scheduled to host leaders from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo for a regional peace deal signing.
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Trump dismantled the peace institute earlier this year
The move comes months after Trump issued an executive order in February seeking to dismantle the U.S. Institute of Peace, an independent, congressionally created nonprofit. Law enforcement escorted the institute’s president off the property, and nearly all USIP staff and board members were dismissed.
The institute sued, arguing that Trump lacked the authority to fire its leadership or staff because Congress created USIP. A federal judge ruled in May that Trump’ acted unlawfully’s actions were unlawful, but that ruling was stayed pending appeal, allowing the administration’s changes to remain in place.
Since the dismissals, diplomats and former staff said they were unsure how the building was being used. An attorney for the ousted leadership told The Post the renaming “adds insult to injury.”
White House defends the change
In a statement to The Post, a White House spokesperson said USIP was “once a bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace.” The spokesperson added that the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace “will stand as a powerful reminder of what strong leadership can accomplish for global stability.”
They also argued the building is “aptly named after a President who ended eight wars in less than a year.”
Trump regularly describes himself as a peacemaker, citing a series of agreements reached during his second term, including the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. He has also joked about being a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, which this year was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
According to The Post, the White House has previously claimed that Trump’s peace efforts surpassed those of the USIP.
