Trump's name added to US Institute of Peace ahead of peace deal signing

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's name has been added to the sign outside the United States Institute of ​Peace in Washington, D.C., where he is expected to host ‌the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday for the ‌signing of a U.S.-brokered peace deal.

The move comes after the Trump administration's attempted takeover of the Institute of Peace earlier this year.

The administration removed staff and installed its own leadership before a federal judge declared those ⁠actions unlawful, calling the ‌effort a "gross usurpation of power." The nonprofit organization, which is funded by the U.S. Congress, has been operating ‍in a holding pattern ever since.

When asked about the decision to emblazon the building with the president's name, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly suggested the U.S. ​Institute of Peace had been renamed for the president.

"Now, the Donald ‌J. Trump Institute of Peace, which is both beautifully and aptly named after a president who ended eight wars in less than a year, will stand as a powerful reminder of what strong leadership can accomplish for global stability. Congratulations, world!" she said.

The claim that Trump ⁠has ended eight wars this year ​is widely disputed. Much work remains before ​most of the conflicts the president claims to have ended, including the Israel-Hamas conflict, can actually be considered resolved.

The ‍institute did not respond ⁠to a request for comment.

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group staged a lightning advance in eastern Congo this year, seizing the region's ⁠two largest cities and raising fears of a wider war.

A U.S.-brokered peace deal ‌was reached in June.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing ‌by Colleen Jenkins and Michael Perry)