Senator John Kennedy proposes banning living officials from naming federal buildings
Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) suggested a rule that no sitting official may have a federal building named after them while alive, targeting efforts by Donald Trump to attach his name to several sites.
Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana announced a plan to prohibit living politicians from having federal buildings bear their names, arguing that public money should not be used for personal promotion. He cited the White House’s use of taxpayer dollars for private advertising as a comparable misuse. The suggestion directly challenges President Donald Trump’s recent attempts to affix his name to the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Institute of Peace (renamed the Trump Institute of Peace on its website), and proposals to rename Dulles International Airport and the area around the Lincoln Memorial as the "Trump Promenade."
Legal battles have already forced the removal of Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center façade. Kennedy has not indicated whether he will introduce formal legislation, and it is unclear if Congress will act, but the move underscores a broader debate over self-commemoration by elected officials.
Why it matters
It could curb politicians from using public buildings to build personal legacies, reshaping how federal sites are named.
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