I think that we all know that President Trump is no scholar – and certainly not a scholar of English literature. Nearly every American reads Romeo and Juliet in junior high or high school (except maybe in Texas, where a combination of book banning legislation and the inclusion of scriptures into the state curriculum has taken the seminal work off of the required reading list). Juliet declares that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – bemoaning that Romeo’s name and lineage keeps them apart, not their essential essence. A lesson our president never learned. For our President believes that the name assigned to building, bodies of water, government departments is the thing that gives them credence and quality.

We’ve seen this act before. The Trump name is attached to the Institute of Peace in DC – not that the President has ever done anything with regard to the work performed in that building. Other than initiate the layoff of all of its employees and the shutdown of its work (without Congressional authorization). So Trump’s name is now on a building where nothing happens – perhaps that is appropriate.

The President has fought mightily to place his name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (so named by an act of Congress). As chairman of the Center’s board (through his position as President) he directed his acolytes (excuse me, appointees) to rename the Center the Donald J Trump and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (and spent scarce arts dollars on installing his name on the building) – only to have a federal court tell the institution to remove the name unless or until Congress approves such a change. The President has never been known to be a patron of the arts (his tax returns certainly don’t show it), and his only interest in the Center appears to be as a property to be redeveloped. Now the Center will be closed for two years, with the Board of the Center desiring an inscription (likely in large letters) saying “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” on the building. Another building with nothing going on with the Trump name on it.

Of course the Trump name is affixed to many things. Buildings in cities around the world have the Trump name on it – whether he developed the building or not. Trump is just a private label brand, to be licensed. On golf courses. On steaks. On bibles. On an airport. It’s actually baffling why the Donald hasn’t renamed Mar-A-Lago to Trump Resort or Trump de Mer (as I would assume that he would prefer a French name to one in Spanish). Heck, I fully expected the President to name the reflecting pool on the National Mall after himself (with his name affixed to its bottom) – until the sealant began to peel off. He jokingly called the Strait of Hormuz the “Strait of Trump” – which seems on brand as well since so little commerce occurs there now.

In 2025, Trump obtained possession of a new brand – America. And almost immediately he chose to rename things with the new brand he owned and operated. The Gulf of Mexico was renamed the Gulf of America (or at least to the extent that the international boundary allowed). This week, largely out of spite, Lake Ontario was renamed Lake America – mind you, only half the lake is in US waters and don’t expect many schools to begin teaching the name when teaching the Great Lakes (except for Florida, where politicians continue to prostrate themselves for the President – don’t expect a Floridian to win the Geography Bee anytime soon).

Perhaps I could suggest a few appropriate properties for the President to affix his brand. We could start with Trumpflation – between tariffs, botched war in the Middle East, and lower manufacturing jobs, our above average inflation is entirely his. Then there’s Trumpemployment – or unemployment as the case may be – 51,000 more people on unemployment rolls than when the President took office. There’s a list of closed factories that could be renamed Trump-villes – the Tonawanda Tire Factory in western NY (1,380 jobs), the Amana factory in Iowa, a veneer wood mill in Weed, CA, the Conn-Selmer plant in Eastlake, OH. Perhaps our bankruptcy courts could be renamed in his honor – he has frequented them in the past and bankruptcy filings are up over 12 percent in the past year. He could have his name on buildings all over the country!

By any other name, as ruinous, vapid, and failing.

And the national disgrace continues…