The Trump administration has renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace after the president, installing new signage on the institute’s headquarters this week as disputes continue over the government’s control of the building.
Workers mounted letters spelling out “The Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace” on the building on Thursday, ahead of a peace-deal signing ceremony between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The State Department confirmed the change on Wednesday, calling the new name a recognition of President Trump’s “strong leadership” on global stability. A post on X promoting the event welcomed visitors to the “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace,” called the president “the greatest dealmaker in our nation’s history” and said “the best is yet to come.”
The move comes months after officials from the Department of Government Efficiency seized control of the institute’s headquarters on the National Mall, fired much of the staff and halted its programming. Police assisted during parts of the takeover, and fixtures bearing the institute’s seal were removed from inside the building. The administration has also sought to eliminate federal funding for the institute, which was created by Congress in 1984 to support conflict-resolution efforts.
The name change was first reported by independent journalist Marisa Kabas.
“As a reminder: The USIP building was raided and taken over by DOGE (with assistance from federal and local law enforcement) despite being an independent agency and owner of the building. Litigation is ongoing, but Trump does not own this building,” Kabas wrote in a Bluesky thread. “I’ve been closely covering the USIP situation since March and am currently in the midst of a lawsuit for body cam footage of the raid.”
Start your day with essential news from Salon.
Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course.
A federal district judge ruled in May that the administration’s seizure was unlawful, but that decision is on hold while the government appeals. Former employees have continued some of the institute’s work independently while awaiting a ruling from the higher court.
The renaming prompted swift criticism from former staff and foreign-policy experts. George Foote, counsel for former USIP leadership, said the decision “adds insult to injury,” in a statement.
“A federal judge has already ruled that the government’s armed takeover was illegal,” Foote’s statement read.
