After Trump added his name to the Kennedy Center in December last year, Bernie Sanders announced that he would be introducing a bill to stop the naming of federal buildings after sitting presidents.
The veteran politician and Vermont senator has lived upto his promise. On Tuesday, Sanders introduced the Stop Executive Renaming for Vanity and Ego (SERVE) Act. According to the legislation, public institutions could no longer be named after an incumbent president.
In his endeavor, Sanders is being supported by Maryland senators Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen. The three have highlighted that Trump’s naming of buildings after himself reflects narcissistic and autocratic behavior.
Sanders announced the bill by posting a video on X and wrote, “For Trump to put his name on the Kennedy Center and other federal buildings is not only arrogant and narcissistic, it is illegal. We must put an end to sitting presidents naming buildings after themselves — and that’s what my bill does.”
For Trump to put his name on the Kennedy Center and other federal buildings is not only arrogant and narcissistic, it is illegal.
We must put an end to sitting presidents naming buildings after themselves — and that’s what my bill does. pic.twitter.com/ldZxWqGxUT
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 13, 2026
Alsobrooks pointed out that the renaming of institutions leads to waste of public money at a time when common citizens are struggling to make ends meet.
She wrote, “At a time when Americans can’t afford to put food on the table, pay their rent, or afford health care, it is so sad to see this President spend taxpayer dollars on meaningless vanity projects, like naming public buildings after himself. Our legislation would stop it.”
Van Hollen explained how the bill would not only affect Trump but all future Presidents and penned, “We do not have kings or dictators in America. These monuments belong to the people. Our bill would prevent Trump, or any other president, from using our public monuments to glorify & worship themselves.
Since his second inauguration as the President, Trump has named several buildings and institutions after himself. These include the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, the Trump Gold Card visa, and the Trump-class U.S.S. Defiant battleship.
On December 18, 2025, the Kennedy Center, a memorial for former President John F. Kennedy, was renamed to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
We do not have kings or dictators in America. These monuments belong to the people.
Our bill would prevent Trump, or any other president, from using our public monuments to glorify & worship themselves. https://t.co/mSBV0aZ1Wx
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) January 14, 2026
The move led to widespread criticism and backlash. Multiple artists, including Chuck Redd and Washington National Opera, canceled their performances at the venue after decades of association. The audience attendance and ticket sales have also been hit since the renaming.
Even Congress refused to acknowledge the change while introducing a bipartisan spending package for the memorial earlier in January. With the SERVE Act, Sanders, Alsobrooks, and Van Hollen have tried to ensure that such changes do not happen in the future.
