Tour inside the Obama Presidential Center before the grand opening
USA TODAY reporter Kinsey Crowley explored the new Barack Obama Presidential Center ahead of its June 19 grand opening.
- More than 22,000 people have signed a petition to rename Wabash Avenue, the street where Trump Tower is located in Chicago, to Barack Hussein Obama Avenue.
- The Obama Presidential Center will open on the South Side on June 19th.
A petition to rename a Chicago street after former President Barack Obama has garnered tens of thousands of signatures.
But it’s not just a street. Petitioners want the street where the creepy Trump International Hotel and Tower is located to be renamed and its address changed from Wabash Avenue to Barack Hussein Obama Avenue. Organizers of the petition said they are experiencing difficulties with President Donald Trump’s policies.
“This will send a small message about the values we stand for as a city: inclusivity, resilience, positive change, and fighting back in every way possible,” the Change.org petition reads. As of June 16th, it has gathered over 22,000 signatures.
Trump Tower is a frequent spot for protests
The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is currently located at 401 N. Wabash Avenue on the Chicago River.
It’s hard to miss among Chicago’s glittering downtown skyscrapers. The word “Trump” written on the building is 20 feet tall.
It has long been a gathering point for protests because of the prominent name of the Republican president in a largely liberal city. During the recent “No Kings” protests, demonstrators walked by the towers holding placards. Even since his 2016 election, the building served as a backdrop for protesters.
Trump has long had a publicly contentious relationship with Chicago. He called the city a war zone and criticized Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the Trump administration conducted Operation Midway Blitz, an immigration crackdown in the fall of 2025, arresting more than 1,500 people in two months. There have also been ongoing clashes between federal agents and protesters, with some people afraid to leave their homes for basic reasons like grocery shopping or going to school.
A petition website calling for Wabash’s name change mentions the raids on immigrants during the Midway bombing and soaring gas prices due to what organizers called a “failed vanity war” (possibly referring to the Iran war).
“We propose to start a vanity war that we will win,” the petition, created on May 4, states.
On June 14, President Trump announced that Iran and the United States had reached an agreement to cease fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway in the global oil supply chain. Petition organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.
Could the name of the road be changed to Obama Street?
The momentum behind the petition comes from an event being held at the Obama Presidential Center, which opens on June 19th, to commemorate the Obamas’ legacy in Chicago.
Legally changing a street name requires City Council approval. According to local media outlet Block Club Chicago, no living person is eligible for an honorary street name, which adds a brown sign above the legal green sign.
According to the Chicago Tribune, other petitions to change Trump Tower’s address have been launched in the past, but have not received much support.
If the latest petition has a very good chance of success, Barack Hussein Obama Avenue will be far from the Obama Presidential Center. The center includes a museum, civic center, athletic center, and Chicago Public Library branch, and is located on the south side of Jackson Park.
President Trump has repeatedly criticized the center online, posting illustrations depicting it as trash. The Obama Foundation told USA TODAY on June 3 that it would welcome President Trump’s own visit.
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow her X (Twitter), thread, blue sky and TikTok.
