(Washington) Imagine that you have a day off for Donald Trump’s birthday. Whether you receive a $ 100 -dollar ticket to the image of Trump. Whether you land at Donald J. Trump international airport, near the federal capital. And that you attend a show at Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts.
All this would be possible thanks to a series of bills presented this year by republican legislators.
Trump is only a little more than six months of his second term, but some Republicans are already ready to raise him to the rank of the big names in American history, offering an ever longer list of bills paying tribute to him well before the end of his second mandate. A legislator even offers to sculpt your face in Mount Rushmore.
This is a legislative exercise that combines flattery and politics, once again recalling the transformation of the republican party under Trump, while the legislators of states and electoral districts with a republican tendency seek to win the president’s favors and to remain close to his supporters.
Doug Heye, a republican strategist who held the post of communications director of the National Republican Committee, explained that these bills had an important audience despite their apparent frivolity.
“It is not a single person,” said Heye. It is not: “Hey, the voters, look at what I try to do for Donald”. It is: “Hey, Donald, look at what I try to do for you”. »»
No time to waste
The Republicans of the House of Representatives quickly took action to honor Trump after the start of his second term. The bill to rename Dulles International Airport in Virginia in honor of Trump was presented 72 hours after his swearing.
“The best president of my life,” said the bill of the bill, representative Addison McDowell of North Caroline. And I do not see in better way to honor someone than to consolidate their place in history by giving their name to an international airport in the capital of our nation. »»
Texas Brandon Gill representative waited a few additional weeks before presenting his bill to put Trump’s photo on the $ 100. His bill stipulates that no 100 dollars ticket printed after December 31, 2028 can be printed without the portrait of Trump on the front, even if the federal law prohibits placing living characters on the American currency. This law, promulgated just after the civil war, aimed to avoid the appearance of a monarchy.
Another proposal from representative Greg Steube, from Florida, aims to rename the Washington metro the “Trump Train”. There is also a bill for representative Claudia Tenney, New York, which combines Trump’s birthday with the flag day to designate June 14 as a federal public holiday.
The most daring idea may come from representative Anna Paulina Luna, from Florida, who wants the interior secretary to have Trump’s portrait on Mount Rushmore, alongside those of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt. She has two models in her office.
Luna said that after two assassination attempts and a “phony dismissal procedure”, Trump had “shown not only great resilience, but also an ability to accomplish what no other president had succeeded in doing”.
Representative Joe Wilson, from South Carolina, admits that he was not seduced by Trump at the start. Today, Wilson distributes to his colleagues a brochure inviting them to support a bill that would load the Bureau of Printing and Enggraving to design and print a 250 dollars ticket bearing the image of Trump. This honor would coincide with the 250e anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
“I think the president served his country in such a way that he deserves it,” said Wilson.
These are not only a few Republicans taken at random. Within the framework of the law on tax reductions and immigration of the republican party, the leaders have changed the name of a new type of savings account for children, from “Maga accounts” to “Trump accounts”.
“Because Trump is a transformational leader and he defended these accounts,” said representative Jason Smith, chairman of the Chamber of Representatives Commission, about the name change.
The Nobel Peace Prize
Several legislators also believe that Trump deserves to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
As a candidate, Trump had promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine from the first day in power, before declaring later, once president, which he joked. Trump failed to resolve this conflict or war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
But the Republicans – and at least one foreign leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu – continue to offer that Trump receives the Prize. Senator Bernie Moreno, of Ohio, asked the Senate to offer Trump, while senator Marsha Blackburn, of Tennessee, asked her subscribers on social networks to share her message if they think he deserves it.
Tenney recently wrote on X that she had appointed Trump twice and that she would continue to do so until he receives the prize.
Tribute to Melania Trump too
A financing bill under examination at the House of Representatives includes an amendment by the Mike Simpson representative of Idaho which aims to give the name of the first lady Melania Trump at the Kennedy Center opera.
Photo Julia Demoree Nikhinson, Associated Press Archives
Donald Trump and Melania Trump
Simpson said the White House was not aware of this amendment before it was presented. He added that this initiative was different from the name change of Dulles in honor of Trump, because the theater is currently not bearing the name of anyone.
“She has always been a fervent defender of the arts, and we are trying to preserve the arts in this bill,” said Simpson. So we thought it was the thing to do. »»
An intelligent political strategy
For many Republicans, praising Trump in legislation is simply an intelligent political strategy. Trump’s support has helped several of them to be elected, and his support could be useful to the various members who try to have their priorities adopted in law.
In addition, Trump uses his support aggressively to replace the members he deems unfair and reward his allies. He already supported Gill and Luna for their re -election in 2026, calling them “Maga warriors”.
But the power of Trump support extends beyond the primaries, especially during the mid-term elections.
“During the general elections, it simply sends a signal to Trump voters so that they can mobilize, that they trust someone and vote for him,” said Steve Staves, former president of the National Republican Committee of Congress.
Democrats have taken note of the wave of tributes to Trump, seeing it as an opportunity to present a docile republican majority as being more concerned with appearing Trump than helping the Americans.
“The House Republicans continue to ridicule themselves,” said Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York. These people are flagorneurs. »»
