Former USIP Staff Seek Court Order to Block Trump Name Engraving on 150,000-Square-Foot Headquarters
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Former USIP Staff Seek Court Order to Block Trump Name Engraving on 150,000-Square-Foot Headquarters
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Summary
Former U.S. Institute of Peace staff asked the D.C. Circuit on Thursday to bar the Trump administration from carving President Trump’s name into the facade of the Washington headquarters.
Lawyers for the ousted leadership said an engraving would cause irreparable harm by further undermining the congressionally created institute’s independent mission, and said government lawyers refused to promise no carving would occur during the case.
Trump’s name was already attached to the building in December in large silver letters after the White House said the largely defunct organization had been renamed the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace.
The fight is the latest turn in the administration’s takeover of USIP, which included firing staff and seizing the building; although a judge called that a gross usurpation of power, an appeals panel stayed the ruling and left control with the administration.
Darren Beattie later ceded the 150,000-square-foot headquarters to the State Department, which has used the National Mall property for Trump events as the president also pushes to put his name on other Washington institutions.