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US president Donald Trump’s endless attacks on his predecessor Barack Obama may soon come back to bite him, as a proposal to rename part of the street in Chicago where Trump International Hotel and Tower can be found to “Barack Hussein Obama Way” was introduced at the city council last week.
Not only that, but a Change.org petition calling for a similar change currently stands at more than 33,000 signatures at the time of writing.
The building is located on North Wabash Avenue, and according to NBC 5 Chicago, the proposal introduced by 42nd ward alderman Brendan Reilly – if approved – would see the east side of the avenue between East Kinzie Street and East Wacker Drive renamed to honour the 44th president.
The proposed ordinance is also said to request that an honorary street sign marking the name change be put up outside Trump’s building.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned petition was set up by one Bryce Jones two months ago, and its description reads: “We propose a tribute to a figure who stands for hope and change, Barack Hussein Obama. By renaming Wabash Ave in Chicago to Barack Hussein Obama Ave, we would honor him at the time of his presidential center's opening.
“This move resonates with hope and progress, uniting us in the pursuit of a brighter tomorrow.
“But more importantly, the renaming carries symbolic weight, as it alters the official address of Trump Tower to Obama Ave. This would send a small message about the values we uphold as a city, those of inclusivity, resilience, and forward-thinking change, and fighting back in any way possible.
“We call on Mayor Brandon Johnson and all city council members to consider this proposal seriously, reflecting the community's voice and aspirations.”
The proposal has already received support online, with Democrat content creator Harry Sisson tweeting on Saturday: “Trump is going to lose his mind over this”:
It will now head to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety for consideration.
And it’s not the first time that changing a street name has been used as a tactic to undermine or send a specific message to a property and/or its owner, as Lithuania named the road leading up to the Russian embassy ‘Ukrainian Heroes’ Street’ in 2022, and the road outside the embassy in the UK was renamed ‘Kyiv Road’ in 2023.
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