State Department Adds Trump’s Name to US Institute of Peace Building

The State Department has renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) after President Donald Trump, and new signage is now installed on its building in Washington.

The department posted a photo of the building on Dec. 3 and said it has renamed the nonprofit organization to reflect “the greatest dealmaker in [U.S.] history.”

“Welcome to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace,” the department said in a post on X. “The best is yet to come.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a social media post that Trump will be “remembered by history as the President of Peace.”

The new name was unveiled ahead of Trump’s meeting with the leaders of Rwanda and Congo on Dec. 4. The leaders are set to sign a U.S.-brokered peace agreement, which will be hosted by USIP, according to its website.

USIP describes itself as an “independent, nonpartisan institute” that supports the executive branch in resolving violent conflicts overseas and brokering peace. The institute was created by Congress in the 1980s and is funded by Congress.

In February, Trump issued an executive order declaring the institute unnecessary and directing that its non-statutory components and functions be reduced to the maximum extent possible under the law.

USIP filed a lawsuit against the Department of Government Efficiency, which Trump created to eliminate waste and fraud across federal agencies, in March over what it alleged was “literal trespass and takeover” by the agency. A federal judge blocked the government from restructuring USIP and assuming control of its building in May, but an appeals court later put that ruling on hold.

George Foote, counsel for former USIP leadership and staff, said on Dec. 3 that the renaming effort “adds insult to injury” following the legal case.

“A federal judge has already ruled that the government’s armed takeover was illegal,” Foote said in a statement. “That judgment is stayed while the government appeals, which is the only reason the government continues to control the building.”

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the move, saying that USIP “was once a bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace.”

“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 stated. “Congratulations, world!”

USIP has maintained that the organization is an independent creation of Congress and outside the president’s executive authority. The administration has said that it is an executive branch organization.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.