Donald Trump Renames National Landmarks and Public Institutions

President Donald Trump has implemented a series of renamings of geographic features and public institutions to project a specific vision of national identity. On his first day in office, he issued an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. He recently renamed Lake Ontario as Lake America for federal purposes and has proposed renaming New Mexico as New America.

Trump has also sought to attach his name to various national symbols and monuments. While the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts proposed adding his name to the institution, a federal court blocked the move, ruling the board lacked the authority. Other efforts include the issuance of a Trump dollar coin and a proposal for a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington.

Institutional renamings include the United States Institute of Peace, now the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation renaming the Palm Beach International Airport to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport. Additionally, the United States Navy is considering replacing the name of Doris Miller on a carrier currently under construction with Trump's name.

These actions coincide with anti-DEI directives. Under these orders, the United States Department of Defense and the United States Army removed online content and web sections honoring minority, female, and Black veterans, including pages related to Arlington National Cemetery.