White House Renames US Institute of Peace After Donald Trump Amid Controversial Takeover

The White House has rebranded the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, with the former president’s name now prominently displayed on the Washington, DC building. The development comes just ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo for the signing of a US-brokered peace agreement on Thursday.

The renaming follows months of legal and political turmoil. Earlier in the year, the administration removed the institute’s board and staff under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal initiative aimed at shrinking government bodies. A federal judge briefly reversed the takeover, calling it a “gross usurpation of power,” but an appellate court later reinstated the administration’s authority. Employees have since been terminated twice, and the building now falls under the General Services Administration (GSA).

When questioned about the new signage, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly implied that the rebranding was intentional.
“The Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, beautifully and aptly named after a president who ended eight wars in less than a year, will stand as a reminder of strong leadership,” she said.

However, the claim that Trump “ended eight wars” in 2025 has been widely disputed. Several conflicts cited by the administration—including the Israel-Hamas war—remain unresolved.

Kelly further criticised the original USIP, describing it as a “bloated, useless entity” with an annual budget of $50 million, contrasting it with the administration’s portrayal of the new institute as a symbol of global stability.

The timing of the renaming is noteworthy. Trump will host Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi for a signing ceremony aimed at reducing tensions in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebel group captured major cities earlier this year.