A history of presidents naming things after themselves (It's short. They rarely do)

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In December 2025, President Trump's name was added to the exterior of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Less than six months later, it was removed, following a judge's ruling that only Congress can change the name of the performing arts complex, which was established as a "living memorial" to John F. Kennedy. Above, workers stand on scaffolding outside the Kennedy Center in June. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

President Trump recently underscored his desire to have his name appear on the facade of the Kennedy Center with a threat. "Frankly, if we don't do that, it's going to close," Trump told reporters. "It'll end up being ripped down."

Trump or his supporters have called for the president's name to appear on everything from naval battleships to airports. It's pretty rare for sitting presidents to stamp their identities on infrastructure, currency and other public assets — though history shows there are a few exceptions.

Discussions regarding this issue go all the way back to the first presidential administration.

George Washington is now the face on $1 bills, but that didn't happen until long after his presidency and his death. When Congress was figuring out what to put on the inaugural American coins, the House of Representatives said the president shouldn't be on the currency because that's something a monarchy would do. Victoria Arocho/AP hide caption

"They were trying to figure out what was the right balance between the prestige required to give this new office respect, but also recognizing that they were not trying to re-create a monarchy," said Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution.

Chervinsky said the issue first came up at the federal level during Washington's presidency around the Coinage Act of 1792. Congress was figuring out what to put on the inaugural American coins, given the habit in Great Britain and other nations of plastering the reigning monarch all over theirs.

"The House of Representatives said that the president should not be on currency because of this monarchical tie," Chervinsky said.

Chervinsky said Washington shared their concerns. The president usually shied away from ostentatious self-celebration. "He didn't want a lot of fuss," she said.

But sometimes, Washington didn't seem to mind it. "They did name the federal city Washington to honor him while he was still in office," Chervinsky said.

Marketing or a cult of personality? Trump's name and face are all over the place