The Presidents Who Refused to Name Things After Themselves.

Gerald Ford faced a dilemma.

Five days after he ascended to the vice presidency, lawmakers unveiled a bill to rename a federal building in Ford’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in his honor. Although Ford was a Republican, the bill was introduced6 by a Democratic congressman, and eventually approved unanimously by both chambers of Congress, a mark of the esteem in which lawmakers held Ford, their former colleague of 25 years.

“I look upon Jerry Ford as an honest man, as an intelligent man, as a fair man, and as a patriotic man. He is a great American of whom all of us are proud,” one Democrat said at a hearing considering the bill, noting that “the fact that we have not always seen eye-to-eye in [no way] limits my respect or friendship” for the vice president.

Except, by the time Congress had finished approving the bill, Ford wasn’t the vice president anymore: he was the president. (Whether this reflects how slowly Congress moves to pass even uncontroversial legislation, or how quickly the Nixon presidency unraveled, is in the eye of the beholder.) Was it appropriate for the president to sign into law a bill naming something for himself?

The White House budget office, which normally takes point on recommending to the president whether he sign or veto bills, thought it would be fine, but Ford ultimately decided to “pocket veto” the legislation, letting it die without becoming law.

“Generally, the executive branch has deferred to the desires of the Congress on such matters,” Ford acknowledged in a veto statement. “However, I know of no Federal office buildings that have been named for a President while still in office. This legislation might begin a precedent I believe it best not to establish.”

“The proposed naming of this facility for me in my home community is a great honor, and one for which I am deeply grateful; however, for the reasons I have assigned above I feel I cannot sign H.R. 11897,” Ford continued.

According to a 1980 study, it was the first time in years that a president had disregarded the “unanimous” advice of the budget office and other executive branch agencies on whether to sign a bill. Buried deep in the Ford Library archives, there is an earlier draft of Ford’s statement, which has never been previously reported on, sounding an even more pointed note.

“In general, I feel this way: office buildings which house the functions of Government should not be used as monuments to Federal officials, but rather as workshops for the people’s business,” Ford was to say in the initial draft. “In particular, I would hope our Presidents will be remembered for their labors in building better Government rather than for their efforts in constructing public works projects to themselves.”¹

(Wake up to Politics, Feb. 9, 2026)

Then there was Trump in the White House.👇 42 billion dollars of grift and growing.

Trump family business files for trademark rights on any airports using the president's name.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump family company has filed to trademark the use of the president's name on airports but says it doesn't plan on charging a fee — at least for a proposed renaming of one near his Florida home.

Applications filed by the Trump Organization with the federal trademark office are seeking exclusive rights to use the president's name on airports and dozens of related things found there, from buses shuttling passengers to umbrellas and travel bags to flight suits. The filings come amid debate in Florida over a state bill to name the Palm Beach airport after Trump and a dispute over funding of a tunnel between New York and New Jersey that is tied up with proposals that both it and Dulles International Airport in Virginia bear his name.

The Trump Organization said that the applications were triggered by the Florida bill and that it didn't seek any profit — only protection against "bad actors" given that the Trump name is the "most infringed trademark in the world."

"To be clear, the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming," the company said it in a statement, referring to what is now called the Palm Beach International Airport near Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.

The company didn't respond when asked if it would charge royalties for the use of the name at other airports in the future, or on merchandise listed for protection in the filings.

Josh Gerben, a trademark lawyer who uncovered the filings over the weekend, said the applications were the first of their kind he's ever seen.

"While presidents and public officials have had landmarks named in their honor, a sitting president's private company has never in the history of the United States sought trademark rights in advance of such naming," Gerben wrote on his blog. "These are trademark filings that are completely unprecedented."

Another break with the past: Presidents usually have to wait for years after they've left office to get an airport named after them — or die.

Bill Clinton had to wait 11 years, Ronald Reagan nine. For Gerald Ford it took 22 years. JFK was quickest — just one month after his assassination.

If Trump gets his airport, it will join a long line of organizations, buildings and other public things renamed for him in recent months including the Kennedy Center performing arts venue, a road outside Mar-a-Lago dubbed the President Donald J. Trump Boulevard and a yet-to-built new class of battleships.

The airport trademark applications filed by a family company unit called DTTM Operations with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are for the use of three names — President Donald J. Trump International Airport, Donald J. Trump International Airport and DJT.

The Trump company's claim that it is the most infringed trademark in the world could not be quickly confirmed.

Gucci has faced tens of thousands of copycat items since the early 1970s when Trump was starting out in Manhattan real estate. Prada has been active suing companies for years, and Rolex battles fake watches by the millions.

The family has been on a branding spree in the past year, putting the Trump name on towers, golf resorts and residential developments in Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. The company has also been selling Trump branded electric guitars, bibles and sneakers, ventures that also fall under the DTTM unit.

In response to criticism that he and his family are profiting off the presidency, Trump has said that his business is held in trust by his sons and that he has no day-to-day involvement in the company.(PBS News)

79-year-old Trump was 39 all day yesterday.

Started the day with only 39% of Americans approving of him. 60% disapproval.

Didn’t raise his ratings by his rambling ranting at his insanely long, mendacious and inappropriate State of the Union- lies, whines, degrades, cons, offends, attacks, discredits, blames.

Early on, he lied the Big Lie again.

But Trump’s main theme was a gigantic lie too, claiming that our Union is the strongest ever, that we live in the “Golden Age of America.” He seems to be blinded by the fake golden decorations he used to desecrate the Oval Office.

All in all, Trump spoke for 1 hour 47 minutes.

Here is a sample of his lies and falsehoods.

As Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia speaking, as the official voice to the State of the Union for the Democrats, said, “We did not hear the truth from our president.”

Here is her answer, which she delivered in what the New York Times called in “a crisp 12 minutes.”

Get ready to work to win the Midterms. It will be our turn.

One more thing.

The rejections Trump faced yesterday.

Not all members of the 2026 Gold Medal Men’s Ice Hockey Team accepted Trump’s invitation to SOTU and White House.

5 didn’t attend. One made his decision public.

Remember to cheer for him. Nelson, Lacombe, Connor, Oettinger were also missing.

This happened too.

6 of the 12 USA gold medals won by Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics were won by American women who also shared in the additional gold medal won in a mixed gender sports competition in Milan Cortina.

Senators and Representatives who didn’t attend Trump’s SOTU.

Others chose to attend the State of the Union last night in order to protest and expose Trump lies and corruption.

Democrats present at the State of the Union also invited Epstein victims and victims of Trump’s aggressive immigration policies to highlight their views and causes at the State of the Union address.

Sky Roberts and Amanda Roberts, his wife, are among the guests invited to attend the president’s annual speech to Congress. His sister Virginia Giuffre publicly accused Jeffrey Epstein of abuse.Credit...Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times.

Some lawmakers have announced who they have invited or will be bringing with them for the address. Here are some of those notable guests (source - New York Times)

Victims of Immigration Enforcement

Representative Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, invited four guests who have been impacted by the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown in Minneapolis: Aliya Rahman, a U.S. citizen who was dragged from her car after an ICE agent shattered her car’s window who drew attention because of a widely shared video; Mary Granlund, the chair of the Columbia Heights School Board, where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos had attended school before he was detained by ICE agents; Mubashir Hussen, a U.S. citizen who was arrested by ICE agents after informing them that he was a citizen; and Gerardo Orozco Guzman, the son of a labor organizer who was arrested by ICE and taken to a detention center in New Mexico.

Representative Jesús García, Democrat of Illinois, has invited Marimar Martinez, a Chicago woman who was shot five times by Charles Exum, a Border Patrol agent. The federal government had been pursuing a criminal case against Ms. Martinez, accusing her of using her car to assault federal agents and interfere with their work enforcing immigration laws. Prosecutors dropped the charges after her lawyers raised concerns about the preservation of evidence. Text messages released this month showed that Gregory Bovino, a top Border Patrol official, praised Mr. Exum after the shooting.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic minority leader, invited Raiza Contreras, the mother of Dylan Lopez Contreras, a now 21-year-old Venezuelan man who became the first New York City public school student to be detained by ICE in May. Ms. Contreras has been waging a monthslong battle for her son’s release after he was detained at an immigration courthouse last year. His family said he had legally entered the country in 2024 under a Biden-era program, and was enrolled at a Bronx high school that caters to young migrants learning English.

Epstein Survivors

More than a dozen lawmakers have invited survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, as well as family members, to draw attention to the release of investigative files related to Mr. Epstein and his sex-trafficking ring, as well as Mr. Trump’s ties to the disgraced financier.

Sky Roberts, the brother of Virginia Giuffre, will attend the State of the Union, along with his wife, Amanda. Ms. Giuffre, who said she had been trafficked to rich and powerful men, died by suicide last year. The two family members were invited as guests of Democratic Representatives Suhas Subramanyam and Jamie Raskin.

Representative Robert Garcia, Democrat of California, invited Annie Farmer, who has testified in court about how she was groomed and abused as a teenager by Mr. Epstein and his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the House Democratic leader, invited Marina Lacerda, who said that she met Mr. Epstein when she was 14. Mr. Schumer, the minority leader, is bringing Danielle Bensky, a survivor who said she met Mr. Epstein when she was 17.

Representative James R. Walkinshaw, Democrat of Virginia, invited Jess Michaels, who has said that Mr. Epstein sexually assaulted her more than three decades ago. Haley Robson, another Epstein survivor who had recruited other teenage girls to visit Mr. Epstein’s South Florida mansion, was invited by Representative Ro Khanna.

Other Democratic lawmakers are boycotting the speech and have invited Epstein survivors to attend in their place. Marijke Chartouni, who has said she was sexually abused by Mr. Epstein when she was 20 years old, will attend as a guest of Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington. Jena-Lisa Jones, another victim, will attend in place of Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California. (To see the whole New York Times article, click here).