Washington: The United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a federally funded think tank established by the US Congress, has officially been renamed the 'Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace', a move the White House claims symbolises President Donald Trump’s vision for global stability.
In a statement, the State Department announced, "This morning, the State Department renamed the former Institute of Peace to reflect the greatest dealmaker in our nation's history. Welcome to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. The best is yet to come."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the decision, asserting that the original USIP had become "a bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace." She argued that the newly renamed institute, honouring a president who "ended eight wars in less than a year," would serve as a reminder of what strong leadership can achieve for global security.
However, the renaming has unfolded amid an ongoing legal dispute related to the administration’s efforts earlier this year to take control of the institute through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Multiple media outlets reported that the move proceeded despite unresolved litigation.
The Hill reported that US District Judge Beryl Howell found that Trump officials used "brute force" to seize USIP headquarters, despite warnings that the institution "did not fall within the executive branch."
Newsweek noted that the renaming has continued "despite an ongoing legal battle over the administration's attempt to seize control of what was an independent organisation."
USA Today stated that earlier this year, the institute "sued the president and his Department of Government Efficiency, challenging the administration's efforts to occupy its headquarters."
The New York Times described the takeover as "an extraordinary public showdown," reporting that officials dismissed most staff, "gutted the organisation," and removed fixtures displaying the institute’s dove-and-olive-branch emblem. Former USIP lawyer George Foote criticised the development, saying the renaming "adds insult to injury" and expressed confidence that "the rightful owners will ultimately prevail."
Many former staff members, who continue the institute’s international work independently, have announced protests at Thursday’s signing ceremony, which is scheduled to feature the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo at the newly renamed institute.
Established by Congress as a federally funded but independent body, the USIP headquarters was constructed in 2012 using private donations on Navy-owned land. An appeals court ruling on the institute’s control is expected next year.
With IANS inputs