In the House of Representatives, Republican lawmakers are engaging in what’s being dubbed the “Summer of Trump,” inundating the chamber with bills and resolutions aimed at honoring the former president, who is both a convicted felon and the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP nomination.

These legislative efforts, largely symbolic in nature, are seen as a strategy to garner attention and favor from Trump, whose endorsements can significantly influence the political landscape, as noted by a former member of Congress.

Recently, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) introduced a bill that calls for the reintroduction of $500 bills by the U.S. Treasury, after a hiatus of 79 years. The proposed currency would feature a portrait of Trump, replacing that of the late President William McKinley. Gosar explained that the initiative aims to highlight concerns about high inflation during President Joe Biden’s administration.

In May, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, proposed a bill to award Donald Trump the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his administration’s achievements in foreign policy.

According to Fred Upton, a former Republican congressman from Michigan who served for 26 years before retiring in 2023, these legislative efforts reflect a broader strategy among GOP lawmakers to gain favor with Trump. He noted that many are seeking recognition and endorsement from the former president.

In an effort to align themselves with Donald Trump, some members of Congress are proposing to name significant national landmarks after the real estate magnate and former reality TV star. Trump is known for branding everything from skyscrapers to sneakers and even Bibles. However, his namesake university faced fraud allegations and closed in 2010, ultimately paying $25 million in restitution.

Now, with a closely contested presidential election underway, these lawmakers are seeking to attach the Trump name to prominent national assets.

On June 14, Rep. Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, introduced a bill to designate the United States’ vast coastal exclusive economic zone, spanning over 4,383,000 square miles (larger than the entire U.S. land mass), in honor of former President Donald Trump.

Simultaneously, another proposal awaits consideration by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. This bill seeks to rename Dulles International Airport in Virginia after Trump. Currently, the airport is named after John Foster Dulles, who served as Secretary of State under President Harry Truman during the early Cold War era.

In response to the proposal to rename Dulles International Airport after Trump, Democrats presented a brief two-page bill in May suggesting that the Miami Federal Correctional Institution be named in his honor a satirical jab at his ongoing legal challenges.

“He’s not going to receive a congressional medal,” remarked Upton regarding Trump. “There’s no appetite for that. He’s too polarizing. It’s unrealistic for that to proceed given the events of January 6th.”

Upton emphasized that naming honors typically require patience and bipartisan support. He suggested that eventually, Trump may receive recognition of some kind. As an example, Upton pointed out that Washington National Airport was renamed for President Ronald Reagan in 1998, almost a decade after Reagan left office, through legislation signed by Democrat Bill Clinton. This historical precedent underscores the potential for bipartisan cooperation in renaming significant landmarks.