The man who once put his name on steaks, bottled water, perfume, wine and a real estate “university” that Marco Rubio called “an absolute scam” is now doing the same with government institutions and programs he controls.
President Donald Trump has plastered his name and/or his scowling face on a coin, currency, national park passes, passports and more as part of his “desperate attempts at grandiosity” that use “physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred,” say authors of a new book.
Why does he do it?
Two Yale University leadership experts theorize Trump’s “unprecedented branding exercise” is a byproduct of decades-old feelings of inferiority.
Trump “was never truly accepted by the Manhattan aristocracy, so he reacted by plastering his name all over New York City in giant letters, putting gold leaf where others would put wood or stone, creating a visual vocabulary of success that regular people could easily and immediately understand,” write Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, authors of Trump’s Ten Commandments.
“He is obsessed with gold, because gold screams money to the masses,” they say.
But Trump’s “obsession with grandiosity” also reveals “an inevitable fragility beneath all the glitz and glamour.”
The authors conclude: “Gold plating, after all, is only a thin veneer. Inflated numbers are easily punctured by reality. Because grandeur depends on constant reinforcement, every contradiction becomes a threat. A leader who sees cracks as existential cannot tolerate dissent. Preserving that fragile illusion of greatness, no matter what cost, becomes the only real, overarching leadership priority.”
Examples of Trumpification
Airport —Come July, Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport will be renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport thanks to a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Banners — Large banners of a glowering Trump that adorn the D.C. buildings housing the Justice, Labor and Agriculture departments are a visual symbol of his growing influence on these once-independent federal departments. Meanwhile, smaller banners are popping up near D.C. construction zones thanking Trump and featuring a photo of the president wearing a hard hat.
A photo of U.S. President Donald Trump is displayed on the side of the U.S. Department of Labor on August 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration has deployed federal officers and the National Guard to the District in order to place the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and assist in crime prevention in the nation’s capital. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Battleships — Last December, Trump announced the Navy would develop a new “Trump-class of ships” designed “to meet the realities of modern maritime conflict.” The new ships, which Trump said would be “100 times more powerful” than other ships, are expected by the early 2030s as part of Trump’s new “golden fleet” of advanced warships. A Navy website for the golden fleet is currently under construction. Navy Secretary John Phelan, who was with Trump for the December announcement, was fired in April, in part because he could not guarantee the ships would be built by 2028, as Trump demanded.
Child accounts — Children born during second Trump term (January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028) are eligible to receive $1,000 investment accounts provided by U.S. taxpayers and private donations. Parents and guardians can apply for the accounts starting July 4. “This is a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up the next generation,” says the Trump Accounts website. “And they’ll really be getting a big jump on life.”
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Coin — It has been a century since a U.S. president — Calvin Coolidge — appeared on a U.S. coin during his lifetime. That coin celebrated the 150th anniversary of America’s founding and caused controversy. A century later, Trump says the nation’s 250th anniversary demands a coin featuring his face. “As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump,” said the U.S. Treasurer.
Currency — In normal times, the signature of the Secretary of the Treasury appears on paper currency. Now, for the first time, bills will also feature the signature of a sitting president. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the change in March: “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are on a path toward unprecedented economic growth, lasting dollar dominance, and fiscal strength and stability. … There is no more powerful way to recognize the historic achievements of our great country and President Donald J. Trump than U.S dollar bills bearing his name, and it is only appropriate that this historic currency be issued at the Semiquincentennial.”
Drug discounts — Trump also named his program to save on prescription drugs after himself: TrumpRx. The 17 drug companies involved in the program spend more than $130 million for federal lobbying last year. “The scope of these grand gestures remains uncertain,” reported KFF Health News. “But it’s certainly less than what the announcement promised, partly because many details of the negotiations, even which drugs are covered, are hazy.”
Gold Card visa — In September, Trump announced his plan to allow wealthy foreigners to attain U.S. residency for $1 million each through his new Gold Card visa. Since then, exactly one person has been approved for the program, which means the program could lose money. “Making America great again?” asked the Washington Post. “Not exactly. Making America look slightly ridiculous? Almost certainly.”
Kennedy Center — The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts became the Trump Kennedy Center late last year, leading many musicians, dancers and theater companies to abandon their scheduled performances. “It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy,” wrote his niece, Maria Shriver. “C’mon, my fellow Americans! Wake up! This is not dignified. This is not funny. This is way beneath the stature of the job. It’s downright weird. It’s obsessive in a weird way. Just when you think someone can’t stoop any lower, down they go.”
National Parks Pass — Trump has mandated drilling for oil and mining critical minerals on and around national parks and he has cut funding for the National Park Service. He also put his photo next to a drawing of George Wasgington on the $80 Digital America the Beautiful Pass park visitors must use. Warning to those who are considering defacing their passes: After a backlash against the Trump passes erupted, including suggestions for how to cover Trump’s photo, the Park Service issued a new policy saying that altered or defaced passes would not be valid.
Passports — In another first, Trump is putting his face on passports issued in D.C., leading one critic to complain, “Oh, the irony of needing to show a picture of Trump to escape him.” The passports are linked to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
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U.S. Institute of Peace — The United States Institute of Peace, which “promotes research, policy analysis, education and training on international peace and conflict resolution,” is now called the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace following December’s renaming. Trump renamed the institute as part of his unsuccessful efforts to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. USIP and its board have sued Trump for removing one of its leaders. A federal judge ruled that Trump’s changes were unlawful but they remain in place as the administration appeals the ruling.
A potential block
Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and fellow Democrats have responded with a bill that would ban presidents from naming buildings after themselves. The “SERVE Act” is subtitled “Stop Executive Renaming for Vanity and Ego Act.”
“Donald Trump doesn’t get to slap his name on any public institution he chooses,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “We don’t have kings or dictators in America, and this legislation stops him or any future sitting president from creating monuments to glorify themselves.”