President Donald Trump has apparently made several attempts to attach his name to prominent structures in Washington, D.C., and beyond since returning to the White House last year. However, Senator John Kennedy is now pushing for a new rule that would prevent living public officials from naming federal buildings after themselves. Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, made the proposal during an appearance on Face the Nation on Sunday, according to Fox News.
Kennedy argued that public officials, including the president, should not spend public money on private ads. His comments came as a new federally funded advertisement promoting Trump appeared on multiple television networks. Kennedy then acknowledged that the White House sees the issue differently. He then proposed barring politicians from having buildings named after them while they are alive.
“I may end up with a sombrero on my head, but I also think that we ought to have a rule that no politician can have a building named after him while he’s alive,” John Kennedy said. The sombrero line referenced an incident last year when Trump mocked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries by sharing artificial intelligence videos of them wearing sombreros. Kennedy added that such a rule would settle much of the controversy, as Louisiana already has one.
Kennedy claims the rule would settle a lot of this controversy
Trump’s most visible renaming push has played out at the Kennedy Center, where his handpicked board reportedly attempted to add his name to the building. The name apparently stayed on the facade for months as the legal fight played out. However, federal judges eventually ordered its removal, ruling that only Congress can change the center’s official name. The dispute has also reached the U.S. Institute of Peace, where the State Department added Trump’s name last year.
However, legal challenges are ongoing, as former officials removed by the administration filed a court motion earlier this month to stop construction crews from placing the name on the building’s exterior. Trump has floated several other renaming ideas during his term. Earlier this year, he suggested that Penn Station in New York and Dulles Airport in the D.C. area should be named after him as a condition for reaching a funding deal.
Officials also reportedly discussed putting Trump’s name on Ford’s Theatre, a claim Trump denied. Kennedy responded to a question about his earlier criticism of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose $220 million ad campaign prominently featured her. The ad promoting Trump shows the president alongside the word “RESILIENT” and carries an on-screen label stating it was paid for by the U.S. government.
Published: Sep 28, 2026 06:30 pm