Workers began removing Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center following a federal court ruling that only Congress can rename the facility. In response to Trump's ongoing efforts to brand federal buildings after himself and run taxpayer-funded promotional ads, Senator John Kennedy proposed a rule on September 27, 2026, to ban naming public buildings after living politicians and block public funds from being used for self-promotional advertisements.
Removing Trump's name from Kennedy Center
- ▪Workers began removing Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., following a federal appeals court ruling that denied a last-minute appeal by the Kennedy Center's board to keep his name on the building
- ▪A federal judge ordered the removal of Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center, ruling that only Congress holds the authority to change the performing arts center's name.
Kennedy Center closure controversy
- ▪Donald Trump threatened to permanently close and demolish the Kennedy Center unless his name was placed on the building.
- ▪The Kennedy Center closed after its board, composed mostly of members selected by Donald Trump, voted on September 15, 2026 to shut its doors to prepare for renovations.
Senator Kennedy's proposed naming ban
- ▪Senator John Kennedy noted that Louisiana state law already contains a prohibition against naming public buildings after living politicians.
- ▪During an appearance on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on September 27, 2026, Senator John Kennedy proposed a rule prohibiting any living politician from having a building named after them.
Dispute over Trump's taxpayer-funded advertisement
- ▪Senator John Kennedy criticized a taxpayer-funded advertisement known as the "Love Me" ad promoting Donald Trump, stating that public officials should not spend public money on private ads to promote themselves
- ▪The White House defended a taxpayer-funded advertisement known as the "Love Me" ad featuring Donald Trump as a "public service announcement," arguing it is not political because Trump is not on the November 2026 ballot
Naming the U.S. Institute of Peace
- ▪The State Department added Donald Trump's name to the U.S. Institute of Peace building in 2025, renaming it the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace.
- ▪Former U.S. Institute of Peace employees filed a court motion in September 2026 to block construction crews from carving Donald Trump's name onto the exterior of the building.
Naming landmarks after Trump
- ▪Florida Republicans renamed the airport nearest to Donald Trump's Palm Beach resort to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
- ▪Donald Trump suggested naming New York's Penn Station and Dulles International Airport after himself as a condition for a funding deal in 2026.
Debatable claims
- ▪The court-ordered removal of Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center is justified
- ▪The White House's taxpayer-funded advertisements featuring Donald Trump are an abuse of public funds
- ▪The US should ban naming public buildings after living politicians
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