By QUINN MULLER
Capital News Service
Long before his return to the White House, Donald Trump’s name topped buildings from New York to Dubai. In his second term, he’s extending that reach — attaching his name to an ever-growing number of buildings, including several outside his business portfolio.
Recently, Trump’s name appeared in a new line of black serif lettering installed atop the 54-year-old signage of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Less than two months later, he proposed renaming New York’s Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport after himself. The administration sought to pressure Sen. Chuck Schumer to support the effort by incentivizing the release of frozen funds for a rail tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey, according to The New York Times.
Between renaming proposals, real estate ventures and political endeavors, we mapped 75 buildings across the globe where people can see or may one day expect to see the Trump name.
New York
The Trump name is stamped on buildings all over New York City. The New York native took over his father’s real estate company, now known as The Trump Organization, and in 1983 opened the iconic Trump Tower just two blocks south of Central Park.
While Trump Tower is one of Trump’s original developments, several of the buildings in his portfolio, including Trump Park Avenue, Trump National Doral and Trump Turnberry, were bought, restored and subsequently renamed by the president.
Some New York residents have sought to remove the Trump lettering from the city’s skyline. Owners of the Trump Place luxury waterfront condominiums voted to remove the incumbent’s name from their facades as recently as 2019. The gold lettering that was once a common sight on Riverside Boulevard is now nonexistent.
Both the Wollman and Lasker Rinks, famed ice skating venues in Central Park, also removed their Trump signage in 2019 despite continuing to be operated by The Trump Organization.
Washington, D.C.
Trump has found some success in acquiring new namesakes outside of his real estate holdings in Washington. Already, his surname has found itself on the Kennedy Center — despite active lawsuits — and the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Despite Trump’s long-standing practice of putting his name on buildings as a matter of business, translating this into his political career has garnered controversy.
The president’s takeover as chairman of the Kennedy Center’s board, his active purge of staff and programming, and the addition of his name to the facade of the building pushed several shows to cancel their performances or move to another venue, including Hamilton, composer Philip Glass and The Washington National Opera.
Trump’s decision to shut the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation project prompted further backlash with conservation groups suing to block the effort to gut the performing arts center.
Trump wants the new Washington Commanders stadium to boast his name as well, according to ESPN.
And he’s not the only one pushing his name.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) proposed naming the D.C. Metrorail after the president, calling it the “Trump Train.” The bill would withhold funding from the transit system pending the rebrand, which would also change “Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority” to the “Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access” to make the acronym WMAGA.
Florida
Florida lawmakers voted in February to rename Palm Beach International Airport after the president. The bill now awaits Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature and approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Trump already has a substantial presence in South Florida, between three golf courses, several luxury residences and his self-named ballroom at Mar-a-Lago.
The Trump name is also appearing in more unique ways. The Treasury announced Thursday that his signature would appear on future U.S. paper currency.
The administration revealed in December a new “Trump-class” of “American-designed battleships that will be the most lethal surface combatant ever constructed.”
These come on the heels of other recent efforts, including a commemorative 24-karat gold coin engraved with Trump’s face set to be produced by the U.S. Min, a prescription drug program dubbed TrumpRX and a fast-track immigration program known as the Trump Gold Card.
