Indeed, it’s just a trash can.
President Obama’s new presidential library design is facing criticism for its resemblance to the Death Star, trash cans, and other imposing structures, all thanks to a humorous social media thread initiated by Senator Ted Cruz.
“Finding the Death Star in Chicago was quite the bold choice,” Cruz (R-Texas) remarked on X while sharing a video of Obama’s recent appearance at the Chicago Presidential Center.
The facility, a tall structure of concrete and granite rising 225 feet over Jackson Park in Chicago, has been ridiculed since its design was first revealed almost a decade ago. Following Cruz’s comment, the internet chimed in with even more jokes.
One user shared a video of a Star Wars X-wing fighter flying toward the library, while another edited the image to show the building standing in for the torso of an AT-AT walker from The Empire Strikes Back.
Additional users posted images of the Eye of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings, photoshopped onto the roofs, alongside pictures of Easter Island heads. There were even comparisons to kitty litter boxes and common garbage containers.
Examples included Sauron’s Tower, which appeared frequently in the discussions on social media. One clever user joked, “It’s ‘Obama Nation’! Just like the Presidency!” while another quipped, “It’s like someone built a Lego set without the instructions.”
People also likened the structure to prisons, power plants, and Jenga towers, with one person simply sharing the cover of The Who’s album Who’s Next, featuring the band around a massive concrete pillar.
Another comment read, “That’s not a library…” suggesting a nod to a well-known “Star Wars” quote, reflecting on the ambiguous nature of the building’s purpose.
Interestingly, this building won’t actually serve as a traditional presidential library. Instead, it will be known as a “presidential center.” Unlike libraries, it won’t contain physical presidential records.
However, the center will have access to digital files from Obama’s time in office, a decision the organization argues is logical since most of Obama’s communications were digital from the start.
The donor-funded center has also seen its budget balloon from an initial $500 million estimate to $830 million. The grand opening is set for spring 2026.
