Oppose Efforts to Rename Federal Buildings After Sitting President

I am writing to urge you to oppose any Congressional efforts to rename federal buildings or infrastructure after President Trump, particularly proposals involving Dulles International Airport or Penn Station. Recent reporting by Punchbowl and CNN revealed that Trump offered to release billions in frozen infrastructure funds for New York in exchange for Congress renaming these facilities after him. This represents an unacceptable use of political leverage for personal glorification rather than public benefit. No sitting president in American history has attempted to name government buildings after themselves while still in office. The New York Times found that other presidents almost always waited until after leaving office to have things named after them. Trump is seeking Congressional approval because his previous executive actions, like renaming the Kennedy Center, are potentially illegal and could easily be reversed by future administrations. The political consequences of these efforts are clear. A CNN poll found that 62% of Americans believe Trump has gone too far with changes to cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian, including 70% of independents and 30% of Republicans. The same poll showed Trump at a record low of just 33% on whether he cares about people like you, with 77% of independents disagreeing. Additionally, 63% of Americans disagree that Trump puts the good of the country above his personal gain. At a time when the vast majority of Americans regard economic conditions as poor and three-quarters believe Trump has not done enough to lower prices, Congress should focus on addressing constituent needs rather than facilitating presidential self-dealing. I urge you to publicly oppose any legislation that would rename federal facilities after the sitting president and to prioritize infrastructure investments that serve the public interest rather than personal branding.