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By Hollie Silverman

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A push in Chicago to rename the street outside Trump International Hotel & Tower after former President Barack Obama is gaining momentum, injecting a municipal zoning battle into a long-running feud between the two political rivals.

The proposal arrives as the Obama Presidential Center, the most expensive in U.S. history, opened its doors last week on Chicago’s South Side, a milestone that has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump directed at both the legacy project and the city itself.

Together, the escalating developments underscore how the yearslong friction between the two men is manifesting not just in political rhetoric, but in the physical landscape and urban planning of the nation's third-largest city.

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Newsweek reached out to the White House, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for comment via email on Sunday.

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Petition to Rename Street Gains Traction

The civic push centered on an online petition on Change.org that has gathered more than 30,000 signatures over the past two months. The petition advocates for renaming a stretch of North Wabash Avenue—the road flanking Trump’s 92-story skyscraper—to Barack Hussein Obama Avenue.

"We propose a tribute to a figure who stands for hope and change," said Bryce Jones, the creator of the petition. Jones acknowledged the effort carries deliberate symbolic weight, noting it would alter the official address of the Trump-branded luxury property. "This would send a small message about the values we uphold as a city."

In response to the growing public campaign, Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly introduced a measure to create an honorary street designation. However, the proposal faces obstacles as city council rules typically restrict such honorary designations for living individuals, NBC Chicago reported.

The proposed ordinance will now go to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety for consideration.

Supporters say the timing is intentionally aligned with the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center, positioning the street name as a permanent civic counterweight to the Trump logo dominating the downtown riverfront corridor.

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Trump’s Attacks on Obama Presidential Center and Chicago Crime

Trump has escalated his attacks on the Obama Presidential Center and Chicago's broader social climate in recent weeks.

Ahead of the center's official opening, Trump mocked the architectural design on social media, labeling it a "total disaster" and "not too pretty." He also shared an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting the modern campus as a garbage repository surrounded by tents.

Meanwhile, Trump’s proposed presidential library would be in a towering Miami skyscraper, featuring a replica White House ballroom and presidential jet. Trump's library is estimated to cost even more than Obama's, while the president has suggested it could even include a hotel.

Throughout his campaigns and presidency, Trump has frequently characterized Chicago as plagued by violent crime, repeatedly clashing with local Democratic leaders, including Pritzker, over law enforcement, federal funding, and immigration policies.

Following reports of a violent weekend in the city that left at least seven people dead and 38 wounded, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday: "Lots of Killing going on in Chicago," adding, "Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!! D.C. went from one of the worst, to one of the safest cities in the U.S. President DJT."

While Chicago Police Department data shows a slight uptick in shooting incidents compared to the first half of last year, violent crime rates have generally dropped in the city over the past few years, in parallel with national trends.

Obama Allies Pushback

Allies of the former president have largely declined to engage in personal counterattacks, choosing instead to emphasize the civic mission of the new South Side campus.

The Obama Presidential Center, a nearly 20-acre campus, emphasizes community space, education and public programming rather than a traditional presidential library model.

Obama Foundation officials have attempted to defuse the rhetorical attacks with public invitations. CEO of the Obama Foundation Valerie Jarrett invited Trump to attend the grand opening festivities while speaking to USA Today, encouraging him to "judge for yourself."

She added: "When our visitors come, they will see a spectacular campus....If [Trump] would like to come and visit it himself, we would welcome him and give him a tour."

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Timeline: Trump Vs. Obama

• 2008–2011: Early conspiracy claims emerge

  • “Birther” theory questioning Obama’s birthplace begins circulating during the 2008 presidential campaign.

• 2011: Trump amplifies birther conspiracy

  • Trump publicly demands Obama’s birth certificate and repeatedly questions his legitimacy.
  • Obama releases his long-form birth certificate; Trump continues casting doubt.
  • Obama mocks Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, intensifying the feud.

• 2012–2015: Continued questioning and media attacks

  • Trump persists in claims about Obama's birth certificate and promotes conspiracy narratives in interviews and on social media.

• The 2016 Presidential Campaign: Policy and leadership attacks

  • Trump regularly criticizes Obama’s record, portraying him as weak and ineffective, using Obama-era policies as a contrast point in his campaign.

• 2017–2020: Presidency and aftermath

  • After being elected president in 2016, Trump continues criticizing Obama’s policies and legacy while in office and after, keeping the rivalry active in political messaging.

• 2025: Escalation to direct accusations

  • Trump accuses Obama of “treason” tied to election-related claims.
  • Obama’s office issues a rare rebuttal, calling the allegations “outrageous” and “ridiculous.”

• 2026: Personal mockery and renewed attacks

  • Trump shares AI-generated image depicting Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys on his Truth Social account, a post that sparked widespread backlash and condemnation.
  • Trump posts AI images mocking the Obama Presidential Center and calls it a “disaster.”
  • Continued provocative social media posts targeting Obama signal the feud remains active and personal.
  • Obama says he's "very happy" to see the ceasefire brokered by Trump with Iran, noting that the country is now "a little bit worse off" than when the war started.

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