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Nothing important to do? Bernie bill seeks to ban presidents from naming buildings after themself

January 14, 2026 | | Print Article

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, is being mocked on X for tackling a less-than-pressing issue.

With everything going on in the world today, one might think that lawmakers have their hands full. However, a recently introduced bill by Sanders indicates that Senate priorities are much different than expected.

Look:

“President Trump is rapidly moving this country toward authoritarianism. Part of that is creating the myth of the ‘Great Leader’ by naming public buildings after himself — something dictators have done,” Sanders wrote.

“For Trump to put his name on federal buildings is arrogan and it is illegal,” he said in a statement about the bill’s introduction. “We must put an end to  his narcissism – and that’s what this bill does.”

“Donald Trump doesn’t get to slap his name on any public institution he chooses,” says Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland. “We don’t have kings or dictators in America, and his legislation stops him or any future sitting president from creating monuments to glorify themselves – because these landmarks belong to the people, not self-worshipers.”

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“Our country desperately deserves leaders focused on working for the people – not their own ego or narcissism. This necessary legislation prohibits the naming, or renaming, of any federal building or land in the name of a sitting president,” said Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Maryland. “And even more importantly, at a time when Americans can’t afford to put food on the table, pay their rent, or afford health care, this bill prohibits the use of any federal funds for these meaningless vanity projects.”

The Stop Executive Renaming for Vanity and Ego (SERVE) Act is also co-sponsored by Sens. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, Adam Schiff, D-California, Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico.

Should it be passed, the bill would:

  • Prohibit the naming or  renaming of any federal building, land, or other asset in the name of a sitting president;
  • Prohibit the use of federal funds to do so; and
  • Ensure this applies retroactively to the Kennedy Center and Institute of Peace by returning any federal assets named for the current sitting president to the name given under United States Code.

Unsurprisingly, while this issue may seem critical to the function of congressional Democrats, Americans weren’t nearly as pressed:

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Sierra Marlee
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