Proposed Donald Trump Landmark Throws Not-So-Subtle Jab At His Looming Legal Woes
Presidential legacies are immortalized in different ways, depending on the man involved. Some have monuments, parks, and libraries created in their honor. Others, like James Polk and Teddy Roosevelt, have their homes turned into museums. Washington and Lincoln stare at us every day from our wallets. We can't help wondering what kind of landmark will eventually bear Donald Trump's name — and neither, it seems, can Congress.
Republican House member Guy Reschenthaler introduced a bill on April 1 that was no "fooling" as it proposed a new honor for the former president. The bill calls for D.C.'s Dulles International Airport to be renamed after Trump, much as the Washington National Airport had Ronald Reagan's name added on in 1998. Reschenthaler described the former POTUS's legacy to the country on X, formerly Twitter, as one of "Freedom. Prosperity. Strength" meriting the name change.
In response, three Democratic congressmen quickly introduced a bill of their own, clearly meant as a jab at Trump's mounting New York fraud case woes. "The Miami Federal Correctional Institution in Florida shall, after date of the enactment of this Act, be known and designated as the 'Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution,'" the brief document begins. In a statement (via NBC News), Rep. Gerry Connolly explained the decision: "When our Republican colleagues introduced their bill to rename Dulles after Donald Trump, I said the more fitting option would be to rename a federal prison. I hope our Republican friends will join us in bestowing upon Donald J. Trump the only honor he truly deserves."
Donald Trump once had his eye on another monument
The odds of renaming Dulles Airport after the 45th president are about as likely as Donald Trump playing an honest game of golf (his rep for cheating on the golf course is legendary). Even if the Senate miraculously passed the bill, there's no chance President Biden would sign off on an honor for his political opponent. Considering Biden's recent sly joke at Trump's money woes, however, he might be inclined to approve renaming a Miami prison after him.
Assuming neither measure passes, what will Trump's legacy be? A library may be out of the question; in an essay for Politico, former House Oversight Committee staffer Anthony Clark pointed out the enormous expense involved with erecting a presidential library (using federal funds is prohibited). However, other political experts have told The Guardian it's conceivable Trump might raise enough donor funds for a personal museum celebrating his accomplishments. Presidential historian Michael Beschloss envisioned "a little Trump theme park where they could see programs being done, eat at Trump restaurants, stay in Trump hotels, and there might be Trump carousels for the kiddies."
Perhaps Trump will set his sights on a (literally) bigger goal. Separate reports in 2018 and 2020 have claimed Trump spoke to South Dakota Rep. Kristi Noem about wanting his face added to Mt. Rushmore. Noem told the Argus News-Leader, "He wasn't laughing, so he was totally serious." Trump has denied ever making the statement, though he did tweet, "[S]ounds like a good idea to me!"