There can never be too many buildings with President Donald Trump’s name on them.
This is what the 79-year-old President seemed to suggest on Thursday while he was participating in an activity at the Peace Institute.
“You have a big event on Friday at the Kennedy Trump Center,” Trump declared. “Oh, sorry, at the Kennedy Center.”
The audience laughed as Trump added: “Forgive me, terrible mistake.”
President Donald Trump gestures before a peace agreement signing ceremony at the Institute of Peace on December 4, 2025. / Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
The president made the comment while noting that the FIFA president was in the audience ahead of his 2026 World Cup Final Draw event tomorrow at the cultural center in Washington and boasts of ticket sales.
It is not the first time that Trump has thought about renaming the Kennedy Center.
He also joked about “TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS,” in a Truth Social post in August.
US President Donald Trump, along with Kennedy Center Board of Trustees chairman Richard Grenell (L), and Trustees Sergio Gor, tour the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2025. / Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images
Just weeks after taking office for a second term, Trump announced that he was planning to fire members of his board and named himself President of the Kennedy Center in February.
But the president’s comment on Thursday was made while standing inside the Peace Institute building, which this week added “Donald J. Trump” to the signs above the entrance.
“This morning, the State Department changed the name of the former Institute of Peace to reflect the greatest dealmaker in our nation’s history,” the State Department posted on Wednesday with a press release. “Welcome to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also praised Trump as the “President of Peace”.
The move was a big hit with the president, who noted the addition of his name to the building earlier in Thursday’s event.
“This is a beautiful building, I have to tell you,” Trump said at the top of his remarks. “So this is a special occasion for many reasons, but the first one, it’s our first occasion in this building to use it for peace, and it’s all about peace.”
Trump’s name was added to the headquarters of the Institute of Peace this week, but the president signed an executive order in February aimed at removing the congressionally funded institute formed in 1984. / X/StateDept
Moments later, Trump also directly thanked Rubio for adding his name to the building.
“And thank you for putting a certain name on that building,” he said. “I came. I said “boy, that’s beautiful-.” That blew up last night. They said this is a great honor. It really is, on this building. It’s a great honor. Thank you very much.”
The institute, which was created by Congress, was among several organizations that the Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been working to dismantle since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
Even as Trump’s name has been added to its headquarters, the legal battle over control of the organization continues.
The president also wants the Washington Commanders to name their planned stadium after him, according to an ESPN report last month. The White House said in a statement that it would be a “beautiful name.”