On Nov. 2, 2026, President Donald Trump joked during a speech that he would rename the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after himself, a remark made as his party campaigned ahead of the midterm elections. “We’ll announce that some time tomorrow,” Trump said, adding, “I’m sure that Secretary Doug Burgum will have a lot of fun in announcing that. Now I’m only kidding. I’m only kidding. Please don’t report it.” The comment came during a White House-organized event described as a “closing argument” for voters heading to the polls on Nov. 3.
The president’s remarks followed a discussion of the Reflecting Pool’s recent renovations, which he described as “better and more beautiful than it’s ever been before.” The joke about renaming the site occurred amid broader efforts by Trump’s administration to alter geographic and cultural names. In August 2026, he signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, a directive that led the National Weather Service to update maps and forecasts. The administration had previously rebranded the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and restored Fort Liberty’s name to Fort Bragg. Trump also reversed the 2015 decision to rename Denali as the nation’s highest peak, reverting it to Mount McKinley.
Renaming Efforts Extend Beyond Landmarks
Trump’s administration has pursued multiple name changes, including a legal battle to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” The effort reflects a pattern of controversial renaming initiatives, though the president’s remarks about the Reflecting Pool were explicitly framed as a joke.
Context of Political and Administrative Actions
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool remains officially named as it was originally, with no formal proposal to alter its designation. Trump’s comments occurred amid his party’s push to retain control of Congress, with the president emphasizing infrastructure and cultural projects during his speech. The administration’s previous renaming actions, including the Lake Ontario and Gulf of Mexico changes, were implemented through executive orders and government agency directives.
