Trump is fighting the Institute of Peace in court. Now, his name is on the building
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US Institute of Peace Renamed After Trump
Is this a vain power grab undermining independent peacemaking, or recognition of a proven dealmaker's diplomatic success?
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump's name placed on the outside of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) building on Dec. 3, 2025. Image credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
The Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace honors the greatest dealmaker in American history who has brokered multiple peace agreements including the Abraham Accords, the Hamas-Israel ceasefire and recent deals between Cambodia-Thailand and Armenia-Azerbaijan. The renaming of this taxpayer-funded institution reflects Trump's proven track record of ending conflicts that previous administrations failed to resolve.
Anti-Trump narrative
Renaming the U.S. Institute of Peace after Trump represents a grotesque contradiction, gutting an independent conflict resolution organization while slapping his name on it for vanity. The administration proceeds with this narcissistic branding exercise even as military strikes kill civilians and xenophobic rhetoric demonizes immigrants. This isn't peacemaking; it's personal branding masquerading as diplomacy while actual violence continues unchecked.