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The federal government of the United States is undergoing an unprecedented presidential rebranding: the name of Donald Trump has been stamped on at least 12 items of the federal apparatus, ranging from historic buildings and warships to dollar bills, passports, and government websites.
The offensive began in December 2025 and has continued throughout 2026, using the Semiquincentennial as a political umbrella, the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States, which will be celebrated on July 4th.
The first federal building to bear the name of a sitting president was the Institute of Peace, renamed "Donald J. Trump Peace Institute" on December 3, 2025, by the Department of State.
"The President Trump will be remembered by history as the President of Peace. It is time for our State Department to reflect this," stated Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
Two weeks later, on December 19, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts added Trump's name to its facade, changing its name to "Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."
The Democrats and part of the Kennedy family argue that the change is illegal, and the case is still in litigation.
On December 22, Trump announced from his Mar-a-Lago estate the creation of warships of the "Trump class," including one named USS Defiant.
The then Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, described them as "the largest, most lethal, most versatile, and most attractive warship that exists in the oceans of the world."
That same month, the "Trump Gold Card" was introduced, a permanent residency visa for $1 million aimed at wealthy foreigners.
Trump described it as "the green card on steroids," although by the end of April, only one person had been approved, according to the AP agency.
In 2026, the campaign intensified. In February, giant banners of Trump were hung at the Departments of Justice, Agriculture, and Labor, and TrumpRx.gov was launched, a discount site for prescription medications.
"They are going to save a fortune," Trump said at the press conference.
In March, the Department of the Treasury announced that Trump's signature will appear on future dollar bills, something that has never happened with a sitting president. The Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, justified it by saying: "There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than with U.S. dollar bills bearing his name."
That same month, a federal commission composed exclusively of members appointed by Trump approved a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring the president's image in the Oval Office.
In April, the State Department announced passports featuring a large image of Trump on the inside cover, and Trump signed an executive order to create TrumpIRA.gov, a site to compare retirement savings accounts.
“Trump Accounts” have also been created, investment accounts with tax benefits for those under 18: babies born between 2025 and 2028 will receive $1,000 from the Treasury to start them.
The annual national parks pass was also modified to include the face of Trump alongside that of George Washington, displacing the winning photograph from the annual contest regulated by law since 2004.
An environmental group filed a lawsuit against the Department of the Interior over that decision.
Not all attempts were successful: the projects to rename a train station in New York and the airport in the Washington area did not come to fruition.
July 4, 2026, the central date of the Semiquincentennial, is shaping up to be the next milestone for new initiatives in this unprecedented branding campaign in the history of the U.S. presidency.
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